All's Fair In Love And War
by I.Write.Love
Summary: After a night on Burbon Street, Rachell and Vannia find themselves in the world of Fullmetal Alchemist! Stuck in their favorite anime, the two must find a way back home, but will they die trying?
1. The Two Worlds Part One

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters... Nor do I own Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo**_

_**I do, however, own myself, and every right to use my best friend Vannia in this story ^^**_

_**Please enjoy :)**_

* * *

Chapter One: The Two Worlds, Part One

"Oh god, Vannia! A voodoo shop, really?"

Rachell Jennings crossed her arms over her ample chest, straightened brunette hair blowing in the Louisiana breeze. Her hazel eyes narrowed as she glared at her best friend.

"Of course, Rachell. Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo is the most famous voodoo shop on Bourbon Street! If we bring back something from it, maybe our history teachers will give us extra credit." Vannia Torres explained, a smile crossing over her tanned face, black hair falling over her shoulders and brown eye focused solely on Rachell. She stuffed her hands in her black jacket.

The brunette sighed. "And I thought your weirdness stopped at school." she complained, following her with long strides into the small shop. "I guess I was mistaken."

"You're the one that had a nose bleed once you saw those two Asian boys make out." the shorter teen laughed.

"Shut up!" Rachell blushed. "God, I hate school trips."

"So you're hear on a school trip?" a voice asked from behind a beaded curtain, it's source appearing to be a petite and beautiful young woman. "I knew your accents weren't from around here."

"Oh, yes, we're from Texas." Vannia told her, smiling politely. "I'm Vannia, and this is Rachell."

The woman looked at the two teens, then cracked a wild smile. "Odd things are soon to follow you two."

The friends blinked, then exchanged glances. "Uh…"

"It's simply fortune telling of a sort. You two have such… strong auras… Like if you two aren't really normal at all." the woman clicked her tongue. "Well, interesting."

"What is it?"

"I see a young man- in his teens- with blonde hair and an older man with black hair." she explained. "This magic they can perform is amazing… but it's caused so much death.

"They work for a military that wants to recruit you two for this _'magic'_. But these immortal monsters will do anything to stop you two. Your loyalties and friendship will soon be tested…"

Rachell and Vannia stared in confusion. "You can really tell all us all this?"

"More or less. It's very blurry."

"As interesting as this is, we really have to go." Rachell said. "The teachers expect us back before dark."

They exited the voodoo shop and the brunette sighed. "Yay. Some voodoo priestess told us we're _'magic' _and _'not normal'_."

"Least of our problems, Rach." Vannia sighed. "Did you happen to listen closely at what she was really saying?" she asked. Rachell shook her head.

"Not really."

"A teen blonde, older black haired man, a military and _'monsters'_ with _'magic'_?" the shorter teen turned. "Doesn't that sound awfully familiar?"

"Not particularly…"

"Dunce!"

Vannia hit Rachell upside her head. "What the hell?"

"Think about it! _'Magic'_, _'immortal monsters'_ and blonde teenagers in the military!" Vannia yelled.

The brunette's eyes widened. "Oh my-" she gasped at a stalking shadow behind her friend. "Vannia, watch out!" she yelled, pushing her friend and getting a bat on the side of her head, falling to the ground unconscious.

"Rachell!" Vannia yelled, stopping as the shadowy figure grinned down at her with a flash of purple.

"Nighty night." it sing-songed, before Vannia fell to the concrete, unconscious as well. "And the _'two birds with one stone'_ phrase never had been meant so literally."

* * *

"Oh god, my head…"

Rachell groaned, reaching up and holding the side of her head, opening her hazel eyes slowly, to the wide, open, blue sky.

"'_Behold! The Lord hath descended from his heavenly throne to save thee from all thy sins.'_"

"Oh great." Rachell complained. "Religious broadcasts…"

"'_For I am thy Father… I am the emissary of the Sun God, Leto…'_"

Rachell shot up, eyes wide. "Leto!" she looked around to realize she was in a dark alley, the ending revealing busy town people chatting and smiling, nearly everyone of them dark skinned. It took her a second to realize it, but when she did, her heart nearly stopped.

"I'm in… Liore."

The brunette stood slowly, brushing dirt from her blue jeans and tank top, looking around. Vannia was no where in sight.

"Oh crap." Rachell groaned. "I've lost her."

"Lost who, sweetheart."

Her skin prickled, and she turned to see a drunken man smiling manveolently.

"My friend." she spat, glaring.

The man laughed. "I'll keep you company." he said, walking toward Rachell.

The brunette dodged his clumsy embrace with graceful elegance, eyes still narrowed. "I'll pass."

"Come on, I'll pay you."

Rachell's nerves snapped, and she did a roundhouse kick to the face. "Do I look like a frickin' whore, you creep?" she yelled. "You better keep your nasty hands to yourself!"

The man glared at Rachell, looking so sober. "You little-" he lunged again.

Rachell, earning all the grave of a cat, dodged and sent a punch to his stomach, tripping him and flipping him. He landed with a thud on the ground.

She took a breath, gasping when she realized what she had just done. "I can't fight…." she told herself. "What in the world?"

"HEY RACHELL!"

She looked up to see Vannia waving to her. "Ah! Vannia!"

"I've found someone who'll help us! C'mon!" the other teen yelled, and Rachell set off to run after her friend.

The brunette threw her arms around Vannia. "OHMYGOD! I've thought I'd lost you!" she cried happily.

The shorter teen pried the tomboy off her. "Okay? Rachell, this is Rose. She said she can find us somewhere to stay the night." Vannia said, but her eyes said; _'She can take us straight to Ed and Al.'_

"Oh! Nice to meet you Rose! I'm Rachell!" the brunette introduced. "So what's this town called? Vannia and I were just traveling and stopped in the nearest town."

"Oh it's name is Liore." Rose said, smiling. "It's a small desert town, and it's a surprise you even found it." the woman told her. "But we get along fine, now that Father Cornello is here."

"Father Cornello?" the teens asked.

"He's the founder of the Church of Leto in the center of the town. He came her a few years ago and showed us the way of God. On top of that…" Rose turned to them. "He can work miracles."

"Miracles, huh?" Rachell looked to Vannia, who smirked.

"Yeah!" Rose exclaimed, then laughed as they came up on a small shop. "Good day, sir. My, you're busy today."

The shopkeeper looked over with a smile. "Oh, hello Rose, who are your friends?"

"This is Rachell and Vannia. They're a couple of travelers who need a place to board."

"Oh, so, you're going to the temple as well?" the keeper asked.

"Uh-huh. With some offerings." Rose took out a few bills. She turned to a blonde boy and a suit of armor they had just noticed where there. "Oh some new faces."

The shopkeeper was busy putting away jars and such in a paper bag. "They're alchemists. They say they're looking for something."

"Alchemists, huh?" Rachell asked, smirking at the two. "What's a couple of alchemists doing here?"

The blonde narrowed his gold eyes. "Trying to find something. Aren't you nosy?"

"It's not that I'm nosy, but you two look familiar…" Rachell sassed.

"Of course." the teen smirked. "I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, and this is my younger brother, Alphonse."

"I'm Vannia and this is Rachell." Vannia introduced. "We're from a little south."

"South, huh?"

Rose took the bag from the shop clerk, then turned to Ed and Al. "I hope you find what you're looking for. May Leto bless you!" she turned to walk off with a smile.

"Rose's become so happy lately." someone said.

"Uh-huh, and it's all thanks to the Father."

Ed and Rachell looked at them. "Huh?"

"Not only does that girl have no family, but she lost her boyfriend last year in an accident… It was so hard to see her so sad. We felt really bad for her."

"That's when she was saved by Father Cornello! He taught her about the Sun God Leto!"

"Preach on! He raises the dead, and the souls of his faithful live forever. Cornello's miracles prove it! You should see him yourself! It's defiantly the power of God!"

"Raise the dead, huh?" Rachell and Vannia asked in unison.

Ed clicked his tongue. "I don't like the sound of that."

* * *

"Your holiness!"

Rose smiled, her brown hair falling over her shoulders in elegance.

"Oh, it's you, Rose. My so dedicated! You're an example to us all!" Father Cornello, a large, bald man, laughed, smiling.

Rose shook her head. "No I'm just doing my duty! Um… by the way, Father…" she took a breath. "When will you be able to…?"

"Yes, I know what it is you ask. God has seen your good deeds."

"Then…"

"But it's not yet time, Rose. You understand, don't you?"

"…Yes Father… You're right… Not yet…" Rose looked down, disappointed.

"That's a good girl, Rose."

* * *

"And so you two are travelers from the South?"

Rachell and Vannia nodded, as Edward and Alphonse looked at each other.

"Yup! We need to get to Central, but we're broke." Vannia told them, voice echoing in the cathedral.

Alphonse spoke up. "You two can travel with us. We're going to Central soon anyway."

"Awesome! Thanks!"

"Oh you four again!"

The group looked to Rose, as she walked in smiling. "Are you going to join the church of Leto?"

"Nah, I'm not religious." Ed and Rachell said, looking at each other strangely.

Rose shook her head. "That's not a real answer! If you believe in God, you can live with hope and gratitude everyday! It's wonderful!" she smiled. "If you have faith, you'll grow taller for sure!"

"What was that!" Ed complained, then sighed, plopping back onto the pew. "Sheesh. How can you honestly believe these things? Do you really believe that if you pray to God, the dead will come back to life?"

Rose was quiet a moment. "Yes, I do."

Rachell sighed, sitting down next to Ed, mentally listing stuff off. "Water; thirty-five liters. Carbon; twenty kilograms. Ammonia; four liters. Lime; one-point-five kilograms. Phosphorus; eight hundred grams. Salt; two hundred and fifty grams. Saltpeter; seven point five grams. Iron; give grams. Silicon; three grams…."

"And fifteen other elements in small quantities." Vannia finished.

Edward looked at the best friends.

"Huh?"

"That's the total chemical makeup of the average adult body." he said. "Modern science knows all of this, but there's never been a single example of successful human transmutation."

"Like there's some missing ingredient." Rachell supplied. "Scientists have been trying to find it for hundreds of years, pouring tons of money into research and to this day, they don't have a theory."

"They say," Ed told her. "science is a lost cause, but I think it's better than sitting around praying and waiting for something to happen."

"For that matter, the elements found in a human being is all junk you can buy in any market with a child's allowance." Rachell shrugged, smirking. "Humans are pretty cheaply made."

Rose was fuming. "People aren't objects! That's an insult to the creator! God will punish you for saying things like that!" she yelled.

Edward and Rachell just laughed.

"Alchemist are scientists. They don't believe in improvable concepts like _'God'_." They strive to uncover the principles of creation in the matter of this world, to pursue the truth." Rachell told her, regaining her composure.

"It's ironic, that we scientists, who don't believe in God, are in sense the closest thins to him." Ed finished.

Rose, still ticked, scowled. "What pride. Are you saying that you are God's equal?"

"Well, it's like that myth about the hero… He made wings out of wax so he could fly. But when he got to close to the sun- to God- the wax melted and he crashed to the ground." Rachell looked up, brunette bangs slightly in her face.

The brunette woman was confused, looking at the two of them strangely.

Vannia and Alphonse exchanged and second glanced, the same thing crossing their minds at the same time;

'_Good, GOD, they sound like they've known each other all their lives!'_

* * *

_**And Ta-da! That's the first chapter!**_

_**I have to say, if you've read the manga, you can obviously tell that I'm stealing A LOT of Ed's lines... oops?**_

_**Keep reading! And don't forget to review!**_


	2. The Two Worlds Part Two

_**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own FMA… I wish I did though… I love Roy Mustang soo much TT_TT**_

* * *

Chapter Two: The Two Worlds, Part Two

* * *

People cheered and whooped as Father Cornello walked up to the small stage at the front of the crowd. He waved to his followers, smiling greatly as they cheered.

"Your holiness! Give us a miracle!"

The preacher caught a follow cascading from above, holding it gingerly. He pressed it between both hands and there was a boom and a flash of light, and the small rose turned to a giant sunflower.

"Yaay!" the crowd cheered louder.

Rachell, Vannia, Edward and Alphonse stood near the back, watching safely from a distance.

"What do you think?" Rachell asked Edward, standing by him.

"That kind of transmutation has to be alchemy." Alphonse told her.

Edward scratched his head. "That's what I thought, too."

"But what about the laws?" Vannia concluded.

"So you came to see him after all!" Rose yelled, smiling as she came up beside them.

"See! He does have miraculous powers. Father Cornello is the Sun God's child!"

Ed shook his head. "Nah. That's alchemy, no matter how you look at it. Cornello's a fraud."

"But he can bypass the laws for some reason…" Rachell said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yeah… That's the problem right there."

"The laws…?" Rose asked.

Vannia cleared her throat. "Most people think that alchemy can do anything and create whatever you want, but in reality there are certain concrete laws. I guess the two big concepts are 'The Law of Conservation of Mass' and 'The Law of Natural Providence'.

"Although some scientists conjure with the four elements, or with the three principles. In other words, the basics of alchemy is the 'Equivalent Exchange'. That means that to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost."

Rachell growled. "But that old guy's making too much out of two little. Alchemy wise, that's breaking the law."

"See! So why don't you two just have faith that it's a miracle already?"

Everyone ignored the question, and Alphonse turned to Ed. "Brother, do you think?"

"Yeah, I do. I think we've found it."

Rachell smiled, turning to Rose. "Hey, lady! I'm starting to get interested in this religion! I'd love- no we'd love- to speak to his holiness. Do you think you could take us to him?"

Edward leaned on Rachell's shoulder. "Me too!"

"Oh my! So you're finally starting to believe!" Rose said, clasping her hands together and smiling.

Rachell leaned to whisper to Vannia. "She's so naïve!"

"Hey, if it gets us to Cornello." Vannia said.

The brunette yawned. "Have you found it strange we known all this alchemy information?" she asked.

"Not really."

"Do you think…"

"Come on!" Ed yelled at them.

* * *

"Please, come this way." Brother Cray ordered, leading the group of five down a well lit hallway. "His holiness is very busy, so its not easy to get an audience with him. You four are very lucky."

Rachell and Edward smiled. "We'll try not to take too long." they said.

Brother Cray sneered. "Yes, let's not end it right away." he drew a gun and pointed it to Al's helmet. "Like this!"

He pulled the trigger, the shot ringing out, and Al's body and helmet fell to the ground. Ed, Rachell, Vannia and Rose stood, stunned. The other two guards put knives and spears to hold back the other three, and Ed glared at Cray.

"Brother Cray! What are you doing!" Rose yelled.

"Rose, these are heathens that were trying to entrap His Holiness! They're evil!"

"What! But His Holiness would never let you do this! Let you-"

"He did allow it."

Rose froze, stunned as Cray put the gun to Ed's head.

"The words of his Holiness are the words of God. This is the will of God!" he yelled.

"Hmm… Guess there's some really bad Gods out there."

Alphonse, helmet less, grabbed the gun, shocking Cray. Edward and Rachell grabbed the guards' spears, flipping them while Vannia and Alphonse managed to take out Cray. Rachell passed Al his helmet, smiling.

"Wh- Wh- What is that!" Rose yelled, point at Al.

Ed tapped the chest plate. "Nothing special. It's just what it looks like."

"There's nothing inside! It's empty!"

Al put the helmet back on. "You might say, that this is what happens when you commit the greatest sin, when you trespass in God's domain. My big brother and I both…"

"You too Edward?"

Ed scratched the back of his head. "Well, let's just say that's a story for another time."

"I guess your God showed his true colors." Rachell looked around, stretching.

"No, it has to be some kind of mistake!" Rose argued.

"Man she's been through all this, and she STILL believes in 'His Holiness'?" Ed complained to Rachell.

She turned. "Rose, do you have the courage to face the truth?"

* * *

"Is this Cornello's room? The one Rose told us about?" Vannia asked, thumb pointing to the giant double doors the group stood in front of.

"Let's see.." Ed reached to open it, but it creaked open itself. "Hmm… I guess that means come in."

They stepped into the darkened room, and Ed turned when the doors closed behind them.

"Welcome to the Church of the Great Leto. Did you come to hear me preach?" Cornello asked from a balcony.

Ed smirked. "Yeah, by all means teach us like about how you use your lame alchemy to decieve your followers!"

"Well, I'm not sure what you mean. Please don't confuse my miracles with alchemy." Cornello told them. "If you saw for yourself, you'd believe…"

Rachell waved her hands. "Yeah, we've seen it alright."

"But what I couldn't understand was how you're able to do transmutation that goes against the laws." Ed narrowed his gold eyes.

Cornello scratched his head with a finger. "That's why I'm telling you it's not alchemy."

"Then it came to me." Ed chuckled, looking cocky. "The Philosopher's Stone. That's how you do it, right?"

Cornello froze.

"Like maybe, just maybe, it's that ring?" Rachell smirked, pointing to the ring with a red jewel on Cornello's hand.

It got quiet in the room, everyone awaiting Cornello's next claim.

"The government get their money's worth out of you, don't they?" Cornello chuckled. "I guess you saw through the whole thing."

Rachell and Vannia stood proudly. "Of course, we're smart!"

Cornello shook his head. "You are correct, Edward Elric. The Philosopher's Stone, the Legendary Catalyst, the Amplifier of all Alchemist Processes. With this, I can conjure at the minimum price for the maximum result!"

The blonde teen sneered. "How long I've searched for that…"

"Wow!" Rachell exclaimed. "Thanks for telling us how you do it!" she clapped.

"What's with the jealous look in your eyes?" Cornello asked, smirking at Ed, then turned to Rachell. "What do you want the stone for? More money? Honor?"

"More like to get somewhere." she was getting too cocky. "What about you? What do you get out of founding this phony religion? It can't be money; you cane just make more of that."

"It's not about the money. Well, I do want that, but I can get that from the collection plates." he chuckled. "What I need is followers who aren't scared of death! An army of fearless soldiers who will gladly throw their life away for a 'God' who will save them!"

Rachell shook her head. "And I thought I was crazy…"

"Listen, I really don't care about that." Edward motion to move on, a bored look on his face.

"Don't belittle my ambition by saying you don't care! You'd better care! You're a member of the military after all!"

Ed plugged his ears." To be honest, I could care less about my country or the military." he told him, slightly annoyed.

"We'll be blunt." Vannia broke in. "Give us the Philosopher's Stone, and we won't tell the people of your scam!"

"That doesn't scare me!" Cornello yelled. "No one would believe outsiders like you! Especially not over the word of God!"

Rachell ruffled her hair. "You're right. You followers would never believe us… but…"

Alphonse unhooked the chest plate, and it fell to the ground, revealing Rose inside.

"But I'm pretty sure they'll listen to her." Ed smirked.

Rose fuming, got out. "Is everything you said just now true, Father!" she asked, glaring. "Were you just fouling us? Are your miracles just alchemy?" she fell to the ground in tears. "You can't bring back my darling?"

Cornello, obviously caught, looked down at them. "Its true I'm not God's emissary. But will this stone it may be possible to transmute human beings, which so many alchemists have tried and failed. Rose, I will resurrect him."

"Rose don't listen to him!" Rachell yelled, glaring daggers at the phony Father. "He's just a liar!"

"Now Rose, be a good girl and come here."

"If you go, you can never come back!"

"What's the matter? You belong with us!"

"Rose!"

"I'm the only one who can grant your wish, isn't that so? Think about your darling and come here."

She turned her back on the group, a sad look in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, you guys. But this is the only choice I can make."

"You really are a good child." Cornello smiled malevolently. "Well, then… now we must eradicate these heathens who threaten our futures." he pulled a giant switch, and a few clanking sounds accompanied it.

Edward and Rachell looked around, when an animal that looked like a lion, crocodile, and snake mixed together emerged from the shadows, growling at them.

"You've seen a chimera, haven't you?"

Edward and Rachell sighed. "Looks like this might be tough to play through empty-handed." Ed complained, clapping his hands on the ground. A light broke into the room, and a crack sounded. Edward held a long spear with a point, smiling. "You need one, too?"

Rachell shook her head. "Nope. This kitty's going down."

"Y-You made a weapon without using a transmutation circle! You serve the title State Alchemist after all!" Cornello fumed. "But that still won't be enough!"

The chimera charged forward, and Ed held out his spear, sharp talons cutting it into pieces and into Ed's pants and left leg.

"Oh no…" he held his leg, shocked completely.

"Ha! How do you like talons that can cut through steel!"

Edward smirked. "Psych!" he yelled, and Rachell sent a heavy kick to the chimera's jaw, smiling all the while. Ed punched it solely in the face, smiling.

"Sorry, these are custom made." he told Cornello.

"What's the matter! If your claws don't work, bite them to death!"

It lunged toward the two, the blonde standing in front of Rachell, right arm out. "E-Ed!" Teeth locked into the arm, chewing on it with a confused look.

"What's the matter kitty? Tastes bad?" he asked, sending another kick to its jaw and jumping back. He stood up straight, looking directly at Rose. "Look at me Rose. This is what happens when you try alchemy on humans."

Rachell stared in disbelief.

"This is what happens to sinners who trespass in God's domain!" he pulled of the red coat he was wearing, revealing the metal arm beneath it. The jacket fell to the ground in pieces.

"Automail… Full steel prosthetics… 'Fullmetal'prosthetics. So hat's why…" Cornello laughed. "The Fullmetal Alchemist!"

"Come down and face me, you third rate fraud! I'll show you there's no comparison between us!" Ed yelled, fuming .

Cornello laughed. "I see… Now I understand who you are. It was always a mystery to me why a mere bray would have a fearsome name like 'Fullmetal'. But now I know…" he smirked. "Look at them, Rose! Those two dared to do the one thing forbidden to alchemist… The unspeakable crime of Human Transmutation! They've committed the worst possible sin!"

Rose gasped, unable to speak, and Rachell looked to her. "He made wings out of wax so he could fly, but when he got too close to the sun- to God- the wax melted and he crashed to the ground."

**

* * *

**

Well, that couldn't have gone any better, eh?

I kinda screwed up when I was writing this one, because as I was copying it straight out of the book and writing it all down, I accidentally skipped a page, and ended up writing

BUT I MADE IT WORK! *pumps fist in air*

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	3. The Price of Life

_**Oh. Em. Gee. **_

**_This chapter epically fails... __**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. Gosh. I do, however, own the entire 2003 series on DVD, the movie, and 1-5 and 22 of the manga. BOOYAH FOR FANDOM! :D_**

* * *

Chapter Three: The Price of Life

* * *

"We never had any doubts about doing it. Our mother was so king, the kindest person in the world. All we wanted was just to see our mother's smile again.

"Even if it meant breaking the laws of alchemy. That was the only reason we were studying alchemy, after all… But the resurrection failed.

"When it failed, my brother lost his left leg, and I had my whole body taken. I lost consciousness for a while. The next thing I saw when I opened my eyes was this armor body and a sea of blood."

Alphonse Elric put a hand to his chest plate. "Even after the horrible injury of losing his left leg, my older brother exchanged his right arm for my soul and put it in this suit of armor."

Edward Elric looked down. "The two of us tried to resurrect one person, and this is what happened. This is what it takes to raise the dead. Are you ready to make that sacrifice, Rose!"

Rose flinched.

"And you call yourself a State Alchemist! Don't make me laugh!" Cornello yelled.

"Aw shut up!" Rachell complained. "You're just a third-rate hack who can't do anything without that stone!"

Cornello chuckled. "I see… so that's why you want the Philosopher's Stone. Good idea. If you used this, you might be about to transmute humans for real, huh?"

"Don't get the wrong idea, baldy. The reason we want the stone is to get our original bodies back. Besides," Ed laughed. "We still don't know if it'll be able to do that."

"Father." Vannia started. "I'll ask you again. Give us the stone before you get hurt."

"You fools are the ones who came too close to God and fell to Earth. If that's the case, then this time I'll make sure to send you to God permantly!" Cornello turned his cane to a machine gun, smiling malevolently down at them.

"Oh shit!" Rachell yelled, and she got down, sketching a sloppy alchemy circle on the ground. "Wait! I don't know alchemy!"

"Don't worry!" Ed yelled, clapping his hands together, then placing them on the ground. In the midst of the smoke from the bullets hitting the ground, a wall of stone rose up, and they let out their held breath.

Cornello laughed manically, but realized it wasn't doing anything, and stopped. "Huh?"

"Sorry! God doesn't like us very much!" Rachell yelled, smirking. "Even if we went, he'd probably chase us away!"

"Tch!"

Alphonse grabbed Rose and Vannia, and Ed and Rachell followed them. "Why you…!" Cornello began firing at Al's armor, Rose screaming.

"Dammit! Over here!" Rachell yelled, pointing toward the door.

"Fools! The exit is rigged! Only I can open it from up here!"

Edward clapped his hands together. "Is that so?" he slapped them on the empty wall, and a door was formed.

"WHAT?"

Rachell pushed open the door. "If there's no door, then I'll make one!" Ed yelled, and they took off down the hallway, Cornello yelling commands at the guards.

"Hey, you stop!"

Rachell, Ed and Al skidded to a stop in front of four guards.

"Hey, you little runt and whore, are you gonna take us all on empty handed? Might as well give up-"

There was a hard kick to the face, and Rachell glared at the guard. "DO I LOOK LIKE A GODDAMN SLUT?" she kicked him in the face again, turning to elbow another in the gut, punch one in the jaw and flip the last one.

Edward's eyes widened. "Whoa."

"CALL ME A FUCKIN' SLUT AGAIN AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

"C'mon!"

Ed grabbed her arm, and they continued down the hall, when Ed stopped. "What's this?" he asked, looking into a large room.

"The broadcasting room. This is were Father Cornello delivers his sermon over the radio." Rose told them, getting out of Al's arms.

Rachell smiled. "Oh really?" she looked to Ed, who gave an equally evil smile.

"Hey, Al, take Rose and Vannia. I got an idea."

* * *

"About what you were saying before, I can't believe you have to do all that to perform alchemy." Rose gapped, as Alphonse and Vannia sat down at a large church bell.

"I told you, the foundation of alchemy is _Equivalent Exchange_." Al told her.

Vannia smiled. "_To obtain, something of equal value must be lost_."

"People call my brother a genius, but the reason he's so good at it is he paid the price. And worked so hard." Al drew a transmutation circle on the ground.

"But because you sacrificed so much, you must have been able to bring back your mother." Rose suggested.

Al was quiet, and Vannia looked down at him.

"The thing we brought back wasn't even human anymore."

* * *

Edward perched up on top the desk, smiling and Rachell sat next to him.

The door slammed open. "You little brat! You're not getting away!"

Rachell waved a hand. "Just give up, will you? News of your trickery will spread throughout the town in no time anyway."

"Shut up!" Cornello yelled. "Everyone within the church is under my direct control! They'd never believe a couple of travelers or a stupid followed if she, or you two, contradicted me!"

Edward laughed. "My, my. I feel sorry for those poor followers of yours."

"Followers are just pawns to use for war! I don't have time to feel sorry for mere pawns! If I ask them to, they'll die happy and fulfilled, believing they did it for God! I'll mass-produce them! Limitless fanatics, from the masses of idiots who can't tell alchemy from miracles!" Cornello laughed. "Did you think that you two could stop my plans so easily? You under estimated the power of blind faith!"

Edward and Rachell broke into a fit of laughter, then shook their heads.

"What's so funny!"

"That's why I keep telling you you're third rate, baldy!" Ed chuckled.

"You little brat! How dare you insult me!"

Rachell held up a small switch; on and off labeled clearly on the front. "Know what this is?"

Cornello looked closely then froze. "You-" he clenched his fists. "You couldn't have… You little brats!"

Edward and Rachell high fived, then smiled.

"How long has that switch been on?"

"From the very beginning! You just exposed your entire plan!" Rachell sing-songed, noting the echo in the city.

"Wha-What! You damn brat!" Cornello retransmitted his can into the gun. "I'm going to kill y-"

"Too slow!" Ed transmuted his automail arm into a blade and cut the gun's barrel off. Cornello was stunned.

"Didn't I tell you? There's no comparison between us." Ed smirked, ready to lunge again. Rachell looked ready to fight as well.

Cornello growled. "I won't… I won't give. As long as I have this stone, I can make miracles again and again!"

Ed jumped in front of Rachell, prepared to block the bullets, when the gun transmuted itself into Cornello's arm, making him fall to the ground in pain. "My arm!"

"Why… Why did it?" Rachell stuttered and Edward grabbed Cornello's collar.

"Shut up! It's just a rebound! Don't make a big deal over one or two limbs!" he looked to the ring as the stone cracked. It fell apart and to the ground, stunning the three of them.

"It broke…?" Rachell asked.

"How could this happen? How could a pure substance like the Philosopher's Stone break apart!" Ed yelled.

"I don't know! I don't know anything! Nobody told me a thing!" Cornello argued. "Please spare me. I was wrong!"

"It's a fake…?"

"I'm powerless without the stone. Help me!"

Rachell blinked as Ed stood, a little shaky. "After coming this far, I thought I could finally go back to normal…. And it's a fake." he fell to the ground.

The brunette bit her lower lip and looked away, only returning her eyes when the blonde spoke again.

"Hey, old man… First you lied to the townspeople, then you tried to kill us. And now, after all that trouble you put me through, you're telling me it was a fake?"

The ground rumbled and shook, soon a statue moving toward Cornello. "THIS BETTER BE SOME KIND OF JOKE!"

* * *

"It was a fake?"

Vannia stared in shock as Rachell nodded.

"Yeah, it was a waste of time."

Ed sighed. "Just when I thought we were finally going to able to get your body back." Edward patted Alphonse.

Al shook his head. "We need to worry about you first. Automail has a lot of problems."

Edward stood, stretching. "Oh well, I guess we'll look somewhere else." he turned to Vannia and Rachell. "You coming?"

They nodded, but a small voice broke through.

"But…."

They all looked back to Rose, who was kneeling on the ground like a broken doll. "There must be some mistake… I mean, they all told me that he would come back to life."

"Give it up Rose." Ed told her. "It could never have-"

"What did you do to me….? What do I do?" she was crying now. "What am I supposed to believe now? Are you going to tell me."

The blonde looked down and away. "You need to figure that out on your own."

They began to walk away, and Rachell stopped by her. "Stand up and walk. Keep going forward. At least you have strong legs to take you there."

* * *

_**Hmm.. I am epic at stealing all of Ed's lines... And Vannia's pretty good at stealing Al's.**_

**_If you read this, Vannia, I think you make an awesome Al-replacment! :D_**

**_Review please! Thank you for reading!_**


	4. The Mining Town:Be Thou For The People

_**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, the characters, the plot, or anything about it. Unfortuanately.**_

**_I am, however, while typing this up, watching the 2003 series on the DVDs I own. FTW! :D_**

* * *

Chapter Four: The Mining Town/ Be Thou For The People

* * *

The train rattled on the tracks, and Rachell sighed, head out the window, holding her stomach.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Vannia asked her, rubbing her friend's back.

Rachell groaned. "I guess. Ugh, I hate motion sickness." she complained, sitting back down on the street.

"So, why did we tag along with them?" her dark-haired friend asked, jabbing a thumb toward Edward and Alphonse, sitting a few rows down.

The brunette shrugged. "They know their way around better than we do. Not to mention," she shifted her weight around in the seat. "they have money, we don't."

"Hey, Vannia, Rachell. Come here." Edward told them, and they moved over to them.

"Yeah?" they sat down across from Ed.

"We're the only ones on board." Alphonse informed.

Edward sighed. "I had no idea it was this bad. This isn't exactly tourist country!" the blonde folded up the map he held. "The town on the Eastern Border."

"The Youswell coal mines."

* * *

Edward and Rachell looked around, confused.

"So… this is where we get coal?" Ed asked.

"The wild frontier, eh? You'd think a place like this would be a bit more lively." Rachell propped her hands behind her head.

Vannia and Alphonse walked up, also looking around.

"Everyone seems really tired." Vannia said, frowning.

A board hit Rachell on the back of her head, and she fell to the ground.

"Oops! Sorry about that!" a small boy apologized, then turned wide-eyed. "Hey!"

Rachell rubbed the back of her head, glaring. "Why you little…"

"You're from out of town, right? On a trip? Where you from? Need a meal? A place to stay?"

"Hold on… Well… Uh…" Rachell stuttered.

The boy turned. "DAD! We got customers!"

Rachell growled. "Listen to people when they talk to you!"

Edward helped Rachell up. "You okay?"

"Yeah…"

A strong, buffed up brunette man walked by, looking down at the boy. "What's that Khayal?"

The brunette kid pointed at Ed. "Customers! A piggy back!"

The man removed his mining hat. "You don't say…"

* * *

"Sorry about the dust."

The man- Halling- apologized, setting down two beers at a table full of coal miners.

"The mines don't pay very much, so we run this inn to get by."

His wife laughed as her husband and the miners argued. "So, there's four of you… you want one night's stay and two meals each?" she asked.

Rachell nodded. "How much?"

"What? You afraid you can't afford it?" Halling smirked.

Edward smiled. "Don't worry. I brought enough!"

"Two-hundred thousand."

Ed fell out of his chair, stunned frozen.

"TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND!" Rachell yelled. "What a rip off!"

"I said you might not be able to afford it." Halling sighed. "We don't get too many customers, so when we do, we make sure we get a good sum."

Edward held up his hand. "Forget it! We'll go somewhere else!"

Khayal sighed, then laughed. "The prices are the same everywhere else."

Edward, Alphonse, Rachell and Vannia sat down, whispering in a hush voice. "I guess," Ed started. "the only thing we can do is use alchemy to turn pebbles into gold."

Vannia and Alphonse looked to him. "You know it's forbidden by the State to make gold!"

"If we don't get caught… We won't get caught!" Rachell laughed manically.

"You're evil!"

They looked over to see Khayal eying them. "Dad! This guy's an alchemist!"

Halling stared. "Are you serious?"

Edward clapped his hands together and put them on a nearby broken pickaxe. It exploded with light, then there was a crack as it was put back together. The blonde smiled proudly.

"This is great! Our first real customer in ages is an alchemist!" Halling exclaimed, putting food in front of Rachell, Vannia and Edward. "I use to dabble a little bit myself. But I didn't really have the talent, so I gave up."

Rachell smiled. "I'm not an alchemist, though I'm not sure if I have the talent or not. We started traveling with these two in Liore. We're headed to Central." she pointed at Vannia the entire time.

"I'll give your buddy here a half-off discount, then!" the man laughed.

"That's still a lot…" Rachell sweat dropped.

Halling chuckled. "By the way, I didn't catch y'all's names."

"Hmm? Oh! I'm Rachell Jennings."

"Vannia Torres. We're from the South."

Edward looked hungrily at the food. "Edward Elric."

Halling swiped the food from the three. "Elric… The State Alchemist Elric?"

"Uh… Sort of…"

They had their drinks swiped too. "Hey! What's the big deal!" Rachell yelled, when Halling lifted her, Ed, Al and Vannia up, chunking them outside.

"Get lost! We don't have lodging for dogs of the military!"

Vannia and Alphonse raised their hands. "We're civilians! We're not state _anything's_!"

"You traitors!" Ed and Rachell yelled as they went back inside.

* * *

"State Alchemists are too popular here, are they?" Vannia asked Khayal, sitting at the same table with him and Alphonse.

"Of course!" Khayal frowned. "Everyone around here hates soldiers. This town's under the authority of Lieutenant Yoki, but all he cares about is making money!"

A few coal miners glared at their beers around the room. "I hear he spends it all on bribes to his superiors back in Central City. He even bought his way to being a Lieutenant."

"So this place is…" Vannia started.

Khayal glared at the tabletop. "Yup, this is Yoki's private property. The rat owns everything in this town! We don't get enough to get by!"

"It sucks, huh?" Al asked.

"Yeah, then there's the State Alchemists." Halling wrinkled his nose. "_Alchemists work for the people. _I can never forgive people who sell their souls to the military state."

* * *

"So… you're not an alchemist?" Edward asked, laying back and staring at the sky.

Rachell shook her head. "No, actually, not sure. I've never really tried. To be honest, I'm seriously doubtful I can." she looked at her rings on the chain around her neck. "I'm a major screw up, never really been able to do anything right. If I tried alchemist, I'd probably make stuff a lot worse."

Ed looked to her.

"I mean, I couldn't even fall in love with the first person I ever dated. I'm some kind of reject or something, like I'm supposed to be a screw up." the brunette sighed. "Adding alchemy to the equation would make it all fall apart."

The blonde sat up. "Hey, why don't I help you? Maybe if I give you some pointers, you'll be able to pull it off."

Rachell looked over. "You'd do that for someone you don't even know?"

"Well, you'll be stuck with us for a while, and I don't mind." Ed smiled. "You and your friend seem to know a lot about alchemy, though."

"Oh, I don't know why that is…"

"Hey Brother, Rachell."

The two looked over to see Al and Vannia, each holding a plate of food.

"We snuck it out." they said.

Rachell and Edward smile, then took the trays, licking their lips.

"They really hate the military here." Vannia told the brunette and blonde. "And they think State Alchemists are _dogs of the military._"

"_Dogs of the military_, huh?" Rachell asked.

Ed looked at his drink. "I'm not sure how to respond to that."

"OUT OF THE WAY! WE'RE COMING IN!"

The four looked to the door as a group of soldiers entered the inn. "Oh shit." Rachell cursed, opening the nearby window, sneaking in with Edward and Vannia following.

"Place looks filthy as ever, Halling." a man with a small handkerchief up to his mouth said, glaring at Halling.

The inn owner stood behind the bar, glaring right back. "Well, Lieutenant. What brings you to this shabby place?"

"Enough small talk. You're late on your taxes- just about everyone here is, too."

"I'm very sorry," Halling sounded sarcastic. "but we're barely getting by as it is."

The Lieutenant looked around. "You can still afford to sell alcohol. I guess I can lower your salary some more…"

"YOU BETTER BE JOKING!" Khayal yelled, throwing the dirty dishcloth he held at the man. It hit his face dead on.

The next thing that happened made everyone gasp. The man backhanded Khayal, making him fall to the ground. "I won't hold back just because he's a child. Let this be a warning."

One of his men raised a sword, bringing it down on Ed's right arm. Rachell helped up Khayal, smirking at the Lieutenant.

"Where did these kids come from?"

Ed drank his tea, and Rachell stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Just a couple of kids passing through." she said.

The man regained his composure. "This is none of your business! Stay out!"

Edward dug in his right pocket. "Well, I heard the Lieutenant was gonna be here." he produced a watch. "So I decided to say hello."

"Eh?" the man looked at it. "A silver watch with the president's crest and hexagram?"

"Who are these brats!"

"You IDIOT!" the man smiled at Ed and Rachell. "I'm sorry if my subordinate were impolite. My name is Yoki and I'm in charge of this town. You two must stay at my lovely house! It's so unfit for you to stay at this pig pen."

"Seems right! The owner's too cheap to let us stay here!" Rachell exclaimed, smiling.

Edward and Rachell walked out the door, and Yoki turned back to the inn. "Listen up! I'm going to make you low-lives pay every penny you owe me!"

And the door slammed closed.

* * *

Rachell inspected the food on her plate. "You… you eat well."

"Although the town seems less fortunate." Edward supplied, taking a small bite of his meat.

Yoki smiled at the two. "I'm embarrassed to say it takes us a long time to collect taxes. Plus, there are many thugs, like the one's from earlier."

"The people pat you taxes, because you own the place." Rachell took a large bite. "That's how it works, right?"

"Seems you see matters clearly, Rachell." Yoki complemented. "And you don't even work for the State, do you?"

"No sir." Rachell told him. "Edward's teaching me alchemy while I'm traveling with him. I know enough, however, to know the way of the world is _Equivalent Exchange._ You can't have rights without civil duty."

"So true!" Yoki complemented again. "Well spoken." he jingled a bell. "So that means your mentor would accept this as the way of the world?"

Another solider put a small plate with an even smaller bag on it by Ed. "You must have influences on higher ups, yes? Please accept this as a token of gratitude."

Edward picked it up. "This is what one would call a bribe, no?"

"It's _gratitude._ I don't want to spend the rest of my life as an official for such a shabby town. You understand, correct?"

Edward and Rachell exchanged a glance. "Of course sir. We understand completely." Rachell told him, standing. "We should head to bed now."

"Oh, of course. Please have a good night's sleep."

"Thank you." Edward said, as they followed two other soldiers.

"Burn it down." she heard. Rachell sent a cold glare to Yoki as she headed down the hallway.

* * *

The next morning, Rachell and Edward looked at an empty plot of land where the inn used to sit.

"Dammit."

"Last night, I saw some of Yoki's underlings hanging around." Khayal admitted. "The reason Dad wanted to learn alchemy was to save this town." he looked up at Rachell and Edward. "Hey, Ed, you're good enough to create gold, right? Or Rachell, you must be a good alchemist too! Can't you just make some real quick?"

"No." Ed said, looking down and closing his gold eyes. "The foundation of alchemy is _Equivalent Exchange_. Why would I give you free money?"

Khayal grabbed Ed's shirt collar. "You call yourself an alchemist?"

Rachell looked up. "_Be thou for the people_, but if we did make you money, Yoki would just take it up in taxes anyway."

Ed got Khayal off. "If you're that desperate, then leave town and find another job."

"Kids, I know you won't understand, but the mines are our homes and our graves." Halling told them.

Rachell turned and followed as Edward took off. "Hey! Ed! Hold on!"

Vannia and Alphonse weren't too far behind. "Are you really going to abandon them?" Vannia asked.

"How much do you think is in here?" Ed asked, looking at a mine cart and ignoring the question.

"One ton, maybe two. Why?" Rachell asked as Ed climbed up to stand on it.

"I'm about to do something slightly illegal, so just look away for a moment." Ed told them, looking at the coal leftovers from the mines.

"What? You want us to be accomplices?" Vannia asked, shocked.

"Huh? You guys won't."

Rachell climbed up to where Ed stood, looking down as well.

"You're going to do it, even if we say no, right?" Vannia asked again.

"Ah." Rachell winked. "If we don't get caught, we won't get caught."

Ed clapped and put his hands on the rocks, a flash of light and a boom accompanying it.

"Man, oh man." Al complained. "Aren't you supposed to set an example for me?"

* * *

"My lord…"

Edward, Rachell, Vannia and Alphonse smiled at Yoki, piles of gold bars behind them.

"Now…" Rachell said, crossing her arms over her chest. "We'd like you to sell us the rights to the coal mines."

Yoki was at a loss for words.

"It's not enough?"

He shook his head. "P-Please don't be absurd!" he told them. "With this much gold…" he looked to Ed. "And also, um, if you don't mind…."

Edward grinned. "Of course! I'll put in a good word with my superiors!"

"Oh thank you dear alchemists!" Yoki shook Rachell and Ed's hands.

"But!" Rachell started. "Making gold is illegal, so for us to not get caught, you have to write a document saying _the rights were transferred free of charge._"

"Oh! I wouldn't mind at all! Let's go do the paperwork right away!"

* * *

"Why not!"

Khayal slammed a hand down on a barrel, glaring at his father. "Why can't we do it!"

"Because I said so." Halling said. "I won't allow a raid."

"Even if your against it, chief, I'm still going."

"Yeah, I've had enough."

"Even if we fail, I'm gonna punch that rotten Yoki in the face at least once!"

Halling shook his head. "No, I can't allow all of you to become criminals!"

"But-"

The door slammed open, and Rachell waved happily. "Hi everybody! What a lot of gloomy faces! You're looking cheerful today!" she sing songed.

The inn glared. Khayal pointed at Ed. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey! Hey!" Rachell shook her head. "Should you be speaking to the new proprietor of this joint like that?"

"Huh?"

Edward put the deed in their faces. "From this moment on, this coal mine belongs to me!"

"NO WAY!"

"Believe it!" Rachell smirked. "But we're just a couple of vagabonds going from place to place."

Vannia scratched her head. "These documents will just be in the way, so…"

"You're going to sell it to us." Halling growled. "How much?"

Edward smirked. "What, afraid you can't afford it?" he asked. "If you want something, you have to pay the price."

"After all," the brunette said. "this deed is printed on high quality goat skin parchment, stamped with a goal seal. Not only that, but in a spectacular feat of craftsmanship, the deposit box is inlaid with powered jade." she looked at it all. "This is the work of a true artist! And hey! The key is made of real silver!"

"Well, this is just a layman's opinion, but taking this all into account…" Ed started.

"How about the price of one night's stay and two meals for four at your place?" Rachell winked. "Would that be fair, chief?"

Halling started to laugh. "You're right! That's expensive!" he slammed his hand down on the barrel. "I'll buy it!"

"SOLD!"

The entire inn exploded into cheers when the door opened. "Mr. Alchemist! What is the meaning of this?"

Rachell looked over "We just sold the deed to the mine to the chief here." she said, smiling.

"Wha-" Yoki shook his head. "No! The gold you gave me all turned to rocks!"

"Gold bars?" Rachell asked. "You gave us the deed free of charge! It says so right here!"

Yoki, angry, shook his head. "That deal is void!" he pointed at them. "Get that brat and his slutty girlfriend!"

Rachell ran up, punching the guards in the face, drop kicking him in one swift movement. "YOU CALL ME A SLUT, SKANK, WHORE, OR HOE ANYMORE, THERE WILL BE BLOOD SHED, YA HEAR? DO I LOOK LIKE ONE, HUH?" she held Yoki by the collar.

"N-No, ma'am." he shivered.

The brunette threw him down. "By the way, Ed here will make sure to tell his higher-ups of your corruption and incompetence, too." she smiled. "So please look forward to it."

The inn erupted into cheers and yells again, many coal miners patting Rachell and Ed on the back. "ALL RIGHT! WE DID IT! BRING OUT THE BOOZE!"

Halling brought all the beers, and many miners began to shove some at Rachell. "Don't give alcohol to minors!"

Khayal smiled.

"Maybe they haven't sold their souls after all."

* * *

_**I had a Naruto moment ^^ **_

**_BELIEVE IT! :D_**

**_So, the reason I posted four chapters all at once was because I have four typed up... 5 through 15 are still down on paper in this silly folder I own ^^ Wee for fandom_**

**_Thanks for reading! :3_**


	5. Battle On The Train

_**Disclaimer: NOT BE OWNIN' DIS**_

_**Gangsta talk there. I've decided I'm not going to be one of those annoying authors that don't update unless I get enough reviews. Screw that.**_

_**Well, I'd like to thank "little firework" for reviewing. It means a lot that you were the first! :D**_

_**Enjoy this chapter! :D**_

* * *

Chapter Five: Battle on the Train/The Man With the Mechanical Arm

"Oh my god! More trains!"

Rachell had her head out the window again, grimacing at the lake below.

Vannia rubbed circles on her back, Alphonse digging in a paper bag for some water all while Edward was snoring, fast asleep.

"How the hell can he sleep when I'm puking my guts out over here?" Rachell complained, sitting back down on the seat. "I swear, I can't even sleep that much." she yawned, and stretched. "Well… maybe… G'Night."

Vannia sighed as her friend curled up in the corner and passed out, making her look at Al.

"So… um…" Alphonse said. "Are you an alchemist?"

The black haired girl shook her head. "No, just a really smart girl traveling with her hot-headed best friend." she explained.

"She's really smart, knows just as much about alchemy as brother. But she's not an alchemist either?" Al asked, looking at Rachell.

"No, just really hot headed and stupid."

"She can fight."

"That was a surprise to me as well."

"Really?"

Vannia nodded, brown eyes out the window. "Yeah. She's a real klutz, almost never doing anything with grace. But when she took down those soldiers in the inn, back in Youswell, she looked like she'd taken classes."

Alphonse nodded slightly. "You know a lot, too. You knew about Equivalent Exchange and the Law of Conservation of Mass."

"Like I told you, I'm smart." Vannia smiled.

The car door opened suddenly. "This trains under the control of us now!" A group of people yelled.

"Oh god." Vannia moaned, as the hijackers made their way closer to where they sat.

One of them looked at Edward and Rachell, confused. "How can these brats sleep through this?" he poked Rachell and Edward with the end of his gun. "Hey! Wake up!"

He got a loud snore in response.

"Grr. Act more like hostages, you frickin' brats!"

Rachell slammed her foot down, glaring at the man in rage. "Um…."

She stood. "What you got a problem-" the man stopped. The brunette drop kicked him, then sent a kick to his face, still glaring.

Vannia sighed, covering her face in embarrassment.

"YOU DAMN BASTARDS! I WAS SLEEPING VERY PEACEFULLY! AND DON'T….." she yelled, beating him mercilessly. Suddenly she stopped. "Who are these guys?" she asked Al, who sighed.

"Hijackers." Vannia supplied, then turned to them, who all shook as far away from Rachell as possible. "Where are the rest?"

"Engine room, first class car, coach car; there's a total of ten others." one said.

"Is that all?" Rachell threatened.

"Yes! There's no more!"

Rachell looked to Edward. "Ed! Wake up!" the blonde growled. She sighed. "Or I'll pour milk all over your clothes."

"Demon gir- Huh?" he looked around. "What's going on?"

"Hijackers took the train. C'mon, we gotta stop them." Rachell supplied. "Vannia, you and Al take down here. Ed and I will get the roof."

Vannia nodded.

"Who are you guys?" someone asked.

Rachell, who was halfway out the window, turned and smiled. "Just some kids passing through." she swung onto the roof, crouching on the metal as Ed followed suit.

"Well…" he smiled to the brunette. "lets give it a shot!"

* * *

Alphonse and Vannia slid into a new car, sighing. "Lets see… the coach car-"

The door opened, and a very shocked man had opened it to see Al. "What the hell!" he took his gun, holding it to shoot at Al.

"No wait!" Alphonse said. "The-"

"Arg!" the man fell with a gun shot to the leg.

"Ricochet…" Vannia sighed, then groaned when another man came through.

"Ah!" he shot, falling over as well.

Vannia and Alphonse sighed. "Are these guys stupid?"

* * *

Their shoes made loud thumping noises, mostly hollow, and Rachell frowned at the roof.

"The engine rooms up there." Ed pointed, when suddenly a bullet grazed Rachell's cheek.

"Holy hell!" she cursed, and Ed pulled her down to a railed area between two cars.

"Dammit. I got a bullet in my left leg. Thank god it was my left, though." Ed sighed, holding up the bullet. "We need to recapture the engine room first. C'mon!"

Ed got back up on the roof, helping Rachell do the same. The peeked in through a window, and Ed threw the bullet in, then smiled, flipping and slamming his boot into a man's head. "What the-"

Rachell came I through the other window, a little off balance. One of the hijackers started toward her, but a worker hit him with a shovel. Ed gave them the thumbs up, and as they escaped out the window, the driver looked out. "Anything I can do?"

"Just drive safely please!" they called, getting back up on the roof. A few gunshots tried toward Ed and he cursed.

"That was dangerous, jerk!" he clapped and transmuted some of the coal into a cannon, shooting at the guy, who fell back into the train.

"Be careful! That's the tender car! It's got water and coal for the whole train!" the driver yelled.

"Oh! Sorry!" Rachell yelled. "Hand on! I got an idea!"

* * *

"That's no mouse!" a guy yelled, crashing back down. "I don't know who they are, but it's a crazy runt and his side kick girlfriend!"

There was a clank, and a floop, making the hijackers turn to the wall. "What the…"

"Hello, hello! Calling all hijackers! We have recaptured the engine room and the rear cars! This care is the only one left!" a boy's voice claimed.

"Please lay down your arms and let the hostages go, if not…" a girl's voice chuckled. "We will have no choice but to use force!"

Bald, and aging man with a beard and an eye patch over a bad eye, growled. "What a joke! We'll never do that!"

"Oh my! Still going to resist?" a water pipe appeared. "Too bad… talk's over."

"Bye!~" the girl sing songed, before water rushed out.

"Run for your-"

The entire car flooded with Rachell and Edward highfiving back by the tender. They jumped into the car through the roof door, smiling when they saw Bald was the only one.

"Well. Someone else with automail?" Ed asked, transmuting his usual blade.

"But- YOUR JUST A BRAT!" Bald went to lunge at Ed, when the blonde's blade pierced the gun barrel of his arm.

"You bought the cheaper model, didn't you?"

Rachell tapped Bald's shoulder, smiling innocently then smirking as she roundhouse kicked him.

Bald fell, and Edward and Rachell high fived.

"We did it!"

* * *

Vannia and Rachell helped the different hostages, stopping at Hakuro. "I can't really do first aid." Vannia admitted, wrapping some guaze on the General's ear. "But, hey, it's better than nothing, right?"

"Thank you. You and those two alchemist are amazingly brave." Hakuro told them, smiling. "If you four didn't stop Bald, I'd probably be gone."

"Probably." Vannia agreed. "You should get to a hospital A.S.A.P., in cause it's infected." she wiped her hands on her blue jeans.

"Of course, thank you."

Rachell stood at the door, when a snap, with a quick boom afterwords sounded. "It's…" she took off, ignoring her friend's protests. As she exited the train, she stopped dead to see the handsome black haired man of her dreams.

"I took it easy on you. If you try to resist again, I'll turn you into ash, got it?"

Her heart melted, and she was faintly aware of her nose bleeding.

"Roy Mustang. Colonel. And one more thing." he fixed his shirt collar. "I'm the Flame Alchemist. Don't forget that."

And Rachell fainted.

* * *

_**I fainted. Hahaha. **_

**_As I probably didn't mention before the story began, I love Roy Mustang! :D So, thus the reason I fainted and had a nosebleed in this chapter._**

**_Oh, but of course, Vannia needs a little romance in this story as well. Her love will be revealed soon enough!_**

**_Thanks for reading!_**


	6. The Alchemist's Suffering

_**Disclaimer: Nope. I'm still just a high school student. I still don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.**_

_**So, first off, I'd like to thank Calliebear and XxLollipopsxX for reviewing :) Thanks so much guys!**_

**_Well, enjoy this chapter! :D_**

* * *

Chapter Six: The Alchemist's Suffering

"Whoa." Vannia stared in disbelief, blinking. "That was amazing!"

Havoc looked over to the black haired girl. "Hmm? You've never seen the Colonel shoot fire before?

"No, sir." the short girl shook her head. "I just met him."

"I see." he lit a cigarette. "You traveling with the Elrics and that brunette, right?"

"Yeah." she jumped when Rachell waved to her. "I gotta go."

"Hey, wait." Havoc told her, and she turned. "I'm Jean Havoc."

She smiled. "Vannia. I'll see you around."

The black haired teen ran off to join up with Edward, Alphonse and Rachell (who was still in a fan girl coma from seeing Roy). Roy Mustang looked down at the group of teens.

"God, Fullmetal. Why do you insist on picking up more problems?" he asked, scratching his head.

"Shut up, Flaming Boy!" Ed yelled. "They needed a ride back to Central, and that's what they got!"

"But it seemed you did your missions better with them around." the older alchemist smirked. "Perhaps you should travel with them more?"

"If you can up my salary."

"We'll talk about it back in my office."

The three boys went ahead, and Rachell's face exploded red.

"In his… office?" she mumbled. "Oh gods…"

* * *

"Now, to get down to business." Edward smirked. "You owe me for this one."

Roy attempted a smile. "Hearing you say that makes a chill run down my spine." he sighed. "Alright, so what do you want."

"I need to know more about bio-alchemy, and Rachell and Vannia need a bit of alchemist research, too. Any where we can go? A library or an expert?" Ed asked.

"Right now?" the Colonel was stunned. "You sure are in a hurry." Roy got up and crossed to his bookcase. "It's been a while since we last saw each other, why don't we have some tea?"

Ed spat, but Rachell lightened up. "I'd love some!"

The Colonel looked back. "See, your girlfriend's a bit more enthusiastic."

"She's not my girlfriend! I met her in Liore!" Ed yelled.

Roy chuckled. "Anyway… Ah, here it is." he took out a few papers. "Chimera: an artifical fusion created by alchemically _'marrying' _two genetically dissimilar life forms. There's a chimera researcher in the city." Edward sat up. "Shou Tucker, the Sewing Life Alchemist. He got his certification two year ago when he created a chimera that could speak."

"A chimera that talked like a human?" Vannia exclaimed. "Whoa!"

Roy shook his head. "But all it said was _'I want to die'_."

Rachell's blood ran cold. "That's… horrible."

The older alchemist focused on Rachell, face full of curiosity. "Let's go see him. Maybe you four will find some help from it."

* * *

'_Ding dong'_

Rachell looked up at the house, gaping at the massive size. "It's huge…"

"OH CRAP!"

Everyone looked back to see a white dog land on Ed, Rachell and Vannia shocked.

"Hey! Alexander! You stop that!" a small brunette girl exclaimed, opening the door. "Wow, Daddy! Lotsa guests!"

"Nina." the man, who had brown hair as well, complained. "I told you to keep the dog tied up." he looked to the Colonel and the four teens- one extremely pissed- and gasped. "My, what a large group. Come in, come in." he moved aside to let them in. "I apologize for the mess. It's been like this since my wife left me."

The group of five sat at the table, the man rushing around to tidy up a little. When he finally sat down, he smiled at them. "Nice to meet you, Edward, Rachell. I'm Shou Tucker, the one they call the 'Sewing-Life Alchemist'."

"Edward's interested in biological alchemy, and Rachell needs some research done, but hasn't got the access to the libraries in Central." Roy explained. "I told them you'd be able to help them."

"Oh." Tucker realized. "It doesn't bother me, but why do you need biological alchemy research?" he asked Ed. "And what do you need to research? It's called Equivalent Exchange."

Rachell flinced, and Ed looked down, then lifted up his shirt sleeve, revealing the automail. "That's why you're called the Fullmetal Alchemist…" Tucker realized, then turned to Rachell. "And you?"

The brunette looked down as well. "I just… I need to research the Portal of Truth."

Roy and Tucker gasped in unison, and Rachell looked lower, at her feet.

"Did you just…" Tucker began. "How do you know about that?" he asked.

"I'm not from this world, as confusing as that sounds. I need to find a way to get home, and I have a feeling that's how I got here in the first place." she explained. "I know everything about this world, and it's people. The introductions were unneeded."

Ed and Alphonse were at a loss of this _'portal' _was, so they sat there, looking confused and out of place.

"I see…" Tucker mumbled. "You can use any research equipment- as such my books and notes- to find the bottom of it. You two, Edward."

They bowed. "I'll show you my laboratory and file room. I'm sure on will be of some help."

Tucker led them into a room full of screaming chimeras, admitting he'd messed up a lot of them, then lead them into a larger room, lined with bookcases.

"Oh…!" Rachell and Ed exclaimed. "This is incredible!"

The brunette man smiled at them. "Feel free to look around, I'll be in the lab."

Rachell picked up a book, sitting against a shelf, and scanning the page. "Hmm…" she put it back, scanning the shelf for another title. Edward skimmed the same shelf, taking down a book and instantly focusing on it.

"All right, I have to get back to work. I'll send someone to get you before dark." Roy told them.

Al and Vannia bowed, Rachell and Edward too focused on their books.

"I've never seen someone so focused." Shou blinked.

Vannia smiled. "She's usually not this way, but she really wants to get home."

"Edward, well, he's not average. No one's become a State Alchemist as young as twelve."

Tucker looked down. "I guess… Geniuses really do exist."

* * *

The clock chimed five, and both bookworms looked up from their books.

"Huh? Ah, I didn't realize what time it was." Edward complained, putting down the text he held. "Hey! Al!"

"Vanni- Ouch." Rachell rubbed her butt as she stood. "Vannia! Hey!"

Alexander jumped from out of nowhere, startling the two. "AAHH!"

"Oh hey big brother! Hey Rachell!" Alphonse greeted, looking around the shelf with Nina on his shoulders and Vannia following behind.

"You two are supposed to be looking for data, not babysitting!" Rachell yelled.

"Nina wanted us to play with her, so we ditched the books." Vannia explained, smiling.

"Why you…"

Nina giggled as Edward chased Alexander around, Rachell tripping him to get him to stop. Vannia and Alphonse worked to put books up, which was hindered by Rachell and Ed's mad dog-chase.

There was a knock at the door, and in walked Havoc, a cigarette in his mouth. "Hey Chief, Kiddo. I'm here to pick you guys up."

They looked up, Rachell in a mid-tickling match with Ed, and Ed with his automail blade at the brunette's throat.

"What are you two doing?"

They broke apart, blushing. "Taking a break from studying!"

Tucker chuckled. "Did you find any useful data?" he held up his hands when their gloom set over. "You two can come back tomorrow."

They swayed off to follow Havoc, a bit dumbstruck and embarrassed.

"Are you gonna come back?" Nina asked Al and Vannia.

"Yeah. We'll play again tomorrow." Vannia told her, smiling and hugging her.

Havoc stopped. "Oh, Mr. Tucker, the Colonel told me to tell you that your assessment date is coming up."

Tucker was frozen. "Yes, I know."

They left in a fury of waves, when Rachell pulled Ed back. "He seemed suspicious."

"Tell me about it. Keep your guard up, Rachell." Ed told her.

"You too."

* * *

"So your mom left two years ago?" Alphonse asked, looked at Nina.

"Yeah. She went to go live back at her parents' house." Nina told him, hugging Alexander.

Vannia looked saddened. "Wow. It must be lonely."

"Nah! I have Daddy and Alexander and you guys visit now, so I'm not lonely at all!" she smiled.

Edward and Rachell looked up from their books. "You know, I'm starting to get shoulder cramps." Rachell said, setting down the book she held. "Three days here of non-stop reading for hours is killing me!" she stood, stretching. "Let's go outside for some exercise."

"I guess your right. Exercise does cure muscle cramps." Edward agreed. "Hey dog! I'll chase you for exercise!"

The group went running after Alexander, but Vannia stopped. "C'mon, Nina. You too!"

Nina beamed, then ran out to the others, just as Alexander tackled Rachell and Edward. They laughed as the brunette pushed Ed for drawing the dog's attention to her, which started a short reigned hand to hand fight.

Before they knew it, Havoc pulled up, sighing and shaking his head at Vannia's details of why Rachell had a bandage on her cheek and Ed was holding his side painfully.

They left with waves to Nina, Tucker no where in sight.

"He must be really worried of his assessment." Al suggested.

"Most likely." Havoc said.

Rachell and Vannia kept their thoughts to themselves the entire way to the dorm.

* * *

"It looks like rain." Rachell reported miserable, glaring at the sky.

Vannia looked over. "Your hair will curl up, won't it?"

"Yeah… ugh…"

Alphonse rang the doorbell, opened the door. "Hello? Mr. Tucker? It's us again." he looked in, to an empty entryway. "Huh?"

"Maybe they're not home." Edward suggested, as they looked around the different hallways.

"Mr. Tucker!" Vannia yelled. "Mr. Tucker!"

Rachell looked down into his lab. "Nina?"

They stopped, seeing the familiar alchemist. "Hey, there you are!" Ed exclaimed, smiling and opening the door more.

"Oh it's you guys!" Tucker stood. "Look, it's my newest creation. It's a chimera that talks like a human."

Rachell and Edward were stunned as they stared down at the white dog-like creature.

"Watch this." Tucker pointed to Ed. "This it Edward." then to Rachell. "And Rachell."

The chimera cocked it's head. "Ed…ward? Rae… chul?"

Tucker patted it's head. "That's right, very good."

"Veh.. Ree… Good?"

Rachell, shocked, gaped. "I can't believe it! It really talks!" she bent down in front of it.

"Yeah. I'm glad I made it in time for my assessment. This just saved my neck!"

The chimera looked up at Rachell and Edward, who both sat before it.

"Ed-ward. Rae-chul. Big bru-ther. Sis-tur."

They froze, eyes wide. "Mr. Tucker, when was it you got your license? By making the first chimera that spoke human words?" Rachell asked.

"Two years ago."

"And when did your wife leave?" Ed asked him, hands running through the chimera's long mane.

Tucker looked over at them. "Two years ago, as well."

"Can I ask you one more question?" Rachell stood and glared at him with her hazel eyes. "What happened to Nina and Alexander?"

Vannia and Al gasped.

The older alchemist glared right back at Edward and Rachell. "I hate perceptive brats like you."

Rachell rushed forward, grabbing Tucker by the collar, and slamming him into the wall.

"R-Rachell!"

"So that's what happened!" she yelled. "You scum! How could you? Two years ago it was your wife!"

Ed looked over with angry gold eyes. "This time it was your own daughter and dog!"

Vannia and Al looked back to the chimera, gasping again.

"Isn't that right? Because there's only so much you can do on animals!" she cleantched a fist at her side. "Humans are **so much **better, am I right?"

"Why are so mad?" Tucker pushed her down, Vannia running to her side. "The prog-"

Ed didn't let him finish, sending a quick punch to his jaw. "SHUT UP! Do you think you're getting away with this? Playing around with people's lives?"

"People's lives? You're the Fullmetal Alchemist! You mean like your brother's live? Or those two girls?" Tucker laughed. "That's also the result of messing with people's lives, yes? You and I are the same!"

Edward sent a hard punch with this right arm to Tucker's cheek. "That's not true!"

"You're no different that I am! You thought you could do it, so you did!"

"That's NOT true!"

"You couldn't help but try it even if it was forbidden! In fact, because it was!"

Ed punched him again, then on about every word he said. "THAT'S NOT TRUE! WE ALCHEMISTS WOULD NEVER DO THAT! WE'D NEVER! I'D-!"

Rachell grabbed Ed's arm, holding it in her own. "Ed, stop. You'll kill him…" she pleaded.

Ed took heavy gasps for air, then looked down, turning from the heavily beat up alchemist. Vannia rushed over to Rachell and Ed, worried.

"Pretty words don't get anything done…"

Rachell turned. "You say one more word, I'm going to snap, and I swear, you won't look like that."

Tucker slumped down.

"Nina." Vannia knealed down in front of the chimera. "None of us have the skill to change you back to normal. I'm sorry…." she hugged it around the neck. "I'm so sorry…"

"Wanna… play?"

* * *

"They have to move forward- even if it means forcing themselves to understand." Roy Mustang stood next to Rachell and Edward as they say on the steps of Central H.Q. "Isn't that right, you two?"

They didn't answer, and Vannia looked to the Colonel.

"How long do you plan on staying depressed?"

"Shut up." Rachell snapped, face down, her curling wet brunette hair hiding her face.

"You really don't have a reason to be like that." Roy told her. "You want to be an alchemist, right? Maybe a '_dog_' or '_devil_' for the military? Can you afford to be held back by something so small?"

"Something so small?" Rachell repeated. "Nina made me think of my five year old sister at home. I felt like I was for three days." she tightened her fists. "Maybe I will be a devil or dog, but I'm going to be an alchemist."

The brunette stood, looking straight at Roy. "But we're not devils or Gods!" she yelled. "WE'RE PATHETIC HUMANS WHO CAN'T EVEN SAVE ONE LITTLE GIRL!" Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Roy was quiet. "All of you go home and rest. You'll catch colds." And he continued to walk off.

* * *

_**So that was chapter six! Whoa! Angsty!**_

_**This chapter was orignally written differently, COMPLETELY different. Like, I was kidnapped by Tucker, and BLAH. **_

_**Tried to turn me into a chimera.**_

_**Anyway, thank you for reading! Please review! :D**_


	7. The Right Hand Of Destruction

_**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA... Still**_

_**Wow! Two chapters in one day! I'm so proud of myself! But my fingers really hurt from all the typing...**_

_**Now all I have to do it type up to 15... *sigh* I should stop writing stories on paper... **_

_**Oh well, enjoy!**_

* * *

Chapter Seven: The Right Hand of Destruction

The thunder rattled the windows, and Rachell sat on the window seal, looking out to the overcast sky and rain pounded down.

"You should sleep."

She turned her head to see Ed, looking at her, worried.

"Not gonna try." the brunette snorted. "I'll just have nightmares of that happening to my sister."

Edward ruffled her hair. "I can understand that. Is it just you are her?"

"No. I have a younger brother who's nine, another younger sister who's seven and then the five year old." she told him. "I'm the oldest of four."

"Wow." Ed blinked.

"The gap is up to ten years." Rachell continued. "I'm only fifteen."

Edward was stunned. "Really? So Vannia's a year younger…?"

"Older."

"Really? You seem older because of your height."

Rachell laughed slightly. "I'm only an inch or two taller." she looked to the sky again. "We're total opposites, but we're best friends. We've only known each other for three years or so."

"Hmm…" Ed sat on the window seal as well.

"Tell me about you." the brunette said. "I've talked too much."

"I thought you said you-"

"Doesn't matter. I'd still like to hear it." Rachell shrugged.

Edward looked at her, then reverted to the sky. "Al and I grew up in Resembool, a small town all the way to the west. Out dad left when we were young, and out mother died when I was ten. We began to study furiously to find a way to bring her back. As you probably know, it failed horribly."

Rachell looked at Ed's automail, completely visible by his tank top.

"Then I got my State title the next year, and at-da." Ed looked to her again. "What about you?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Where are you from?"

Rachell sighed. "I'm from Garland, a Texan town really small to the north. My parents divorced when I was thirteen and my three siblings lived my mom and her boyfriend. To say the least, I was a dumbass in school, but I went on that school trip anyway. Vannia and I got knocked out and woke up in Liore." she shrugged again. "We still don't know how we got here." She began to rub her bare arm, looking at her own gray tank top. "I'm, in all honesty, homesick."

They both looked over when they heard Vannia sit, but she was still again.

"I'm not sure how Vannia takes it." Rachell admitted. "She's a lot like Al; always the voice of reason, cool, calm and collected. I've never seen her seriously go off. Her temper's in better control than mine. She also thinks things through a lot better."

Ed ruffled her hair, sighing. "What are we going to do with you? Hot tempered and impulsive. Never a good mix."

* * *

Rachell frowned at the Colonel's door, unable to knock on the wood. She thought that she used to consider the man on the other side her husband, then snorted smugly, turning away.

"Rachell?"

She jumped, turning to see Riza Hawkeye look at her. "Oh, hello First Lieutenant."

"What are you doing up here? Especially so early?" she asked, stepping out and closing the door being her.

"I want to know what's going to happen to Tucker and Nina." Rachell admitted, eyes slightly downcast.

Riza was quiet. "Tucker was supposed to be put on trial, but they were both killed." she explained. "The Colonel told me not to tell you or Edward, but you two would have found out anyway."

Rachell was dumbstruck. "Who-"

"I'm not sure. I was headed over there." Riza looked at the brunette. "It's better if you don't see."

The teen ran out the opposite way, to where she left Edward, Alphonse and Vannia, reading to tell of the news.

* * *

"Colonel Mustang. We came to get Tucker alive."

Maes Hughes fixed his glasses, then pointed toward a blood-stained sheet covering a body.

"Are you telling us to put this corpse on trial? We didn't come all the way out to East City to do an autopsy!"

Roy scratched his head, then held his forehead. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, you don't need to remind us of our mistake. Please just take a look!"

Hughes lifted up the sheet. "Ew… Just as I thought. Did the guards outside die the same way?"

"Yeah. They looked like someone tried to cute them apart, or if they were blown apart from the inside."

Hughes sighed, scratching his head. "Are you thinking the same thing?" he asked Armstrong.

"Yes, it's him."

"Him?" Roy asked.

The Lieutenant Colonel shrugged. "We don't know his name, so we call him Scar. We have nothing about him; no background, or motives, just that he has an X-shaped scar on his forehead." Hughes counted on his fingers. "He's killed a total of ten alchemist in the country; five in Central."

"Yeah, we've heard the rumors too."

"I heard he killed old man Grand." the other man shrugged.

"Brigadier General Grand?" Roy yelled. "He was a military martial arts expert!"

"I'm suggesting that you keep low for a while. You and Tucker are the only well known alchemists out here, right?" Hughes asked.

The Colonel gasped. "SHIT! Where are Rachell and Edward?"

Riza, who just arrived looked over. "I spoke to Rachell before leaving H.Q. She was running off toward Main Street."

"DAMMIT! I need all spare hands down there now!"

* * *

Rachell collapsed down next to Edward, completely pissed he wouldn't listen. "Tucker was killed!"

"You're serious?" Ed asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes."

Ed looked down. "Good. I'm glad he's dead. Bastard deserved it."

"Ed! He's gone!" Rachell yelled. "So is Nina! I can't believe you!"

"The way of the world is you're born, then you die! Why should I feel bad because he died?"

"Because! He didn't deserve it like however he died! You're such a goddamn cold-hearted bastard!" she stood, glaring at him. "No one deserves a horrible death, and some do deserve to die for what they do, but he didn't!"

Ed stood, startling her off balance. "He used his daughter as an experiment for the State! And you're telling me he didn't deserve it?" he yelled. "I don't know what's going through your mind right now, but you need to get you thoughts straight and realize that Tucker deserved what he got!"

Rachell growled. "Shut up! And don't talk to me! I've got my reasons, and you don't know me at all!"

"Gladly! I should have never talked to you back in Liore!"

Vannia had to intervene. "You two! Stop it!"

Rachell sat down next to Al, ignoring Vannia and Ed, face buried in her hands. Al rubbed her back to try to comfort her, while Ed glared at the sky.

"Oh there they are!"

Rachell looked up as a solider ran up, waving. "Mr. Elric! Ms. Rachell!"

A dark skinned man walking by turned and stopped.

"What?" Rachell and Ed snapped in unison, then glared.

"You four are to report to H.Q. immediately. There's a killer on the loose."

"Edward Elric? Rachell Jennings?" the man, now behind the soildier asked. "The State Alchemists?"

The two froze, even as the guard turned. "That scar..!"

"No!" Ed yelled, as the scarred-man put his right hand against the guard's face, blood squirting out suddenly.

They were both frozen, every thing in their bodies screaming to move, but their legs paralyzed. _'I'm gonna die!' _Rachell thought, the man turning to face them, blood dripping from his right hand.

The clock gonged and Rachell gasped. "Al! Vannia! Run!" and she took off, with the other three following.

"You won't get away!" Scar yelled.

"What's his problem!" Ed yelled. "Why is he after us?"

"Like I know!" Al said, skidding into an alley. "In here!"

Rachell stopped at the entrance, and clapped her hands together subconsciously and slamming them on the ground. In a flash of light and a boom, a wall stood were the opening once was.

"Rachell! How'd you do that?" Vannia yelled as Rachell looked at her hands.

"I don't- eek!" she exclaimed, falling backwards as a hole blew into the makeshift wall, Scar standing on the other side. Al shielded Rachell and Vannia while Ed gasped.

"Run!" they turned and took off, screaming profanities and curses as they went. The man put his hand to the wall, and a blockade erupted in front of them.

"You must be kidding!" Rachell yelled, turning. "Who are you?"

"What do you want?" Vannia yelled.

The scarred man bowed his head. "There are those who create and those who destroy."

Confused, Ed put a hand to a pipe after clapping. "You make no sense. Guess we have to beat it out of you." He held a blade as Rachell and Alphonse took fighting stances.

"You're not afraid." Scar growled, lunging toward Vannia, who was unarmed and wide open. "But you have no tatics!"

She screamed, moving and only getting the end of her jacket destroyed. Al moved to shield her while Rachell's eyes burned with rage.

"YOU SON OF A-" and she lunged for Scar, planning to roundhouse kick him.

"Idiot!"

Ed tripped her, holding up his right arm, countering Scar's attack. He landed back by her.

"What?" Scar asked, confused.

Ed stood, throwing his jacket back at Rachell. "You're an idiot!" Rachell yelled. "Why did you do that?"

"Because! Scar would have killed you if I didn't!" Ed looked back. "You might be extremely annoying and a bit bossy, but there's no way I'd let you die!"

Rachell gaped at him, while he stretched his arm out. "Damn you…"

Scar looked at the automail. "I see… No wonder it had no affect on your body. And that brunette, she's brave for being so stupid." he growled. "This is taking longer than I thought."

Ed made an automail blade, growling exactly like Scar had. "I'm not going by your schedule."

"Ed! No! Run!" Rachell yelled.

"You're being stupid again! Just shut up! I'm not leaving you behind!"

She stood. "Then you shut up and let me fight him!"

"He'll kill you!" Ed yelled, running toward him.

"You need both arms to transmute." Scar grabbed the automail as it missed his face lightly. "I'll start with your automail then."

There was a loud boom, screws, bits of metal and wires flying everywhere, as Ed fell backwards, wide eye with terror.

"Ed…" Rachell mumbled. "Edward!"

* * *

**_Ta-Da!_**

**_Ed and I totally got into a fight..._**

**_*sigh* There will be more between us, in all good time._**

**_Thanks for reading! Please review! v_**


	8. After The Rain

_**So, I'd like to take this time to address some reviews I got. **_

_**CallieBear: Actually, yes, the part about my family is completely true. I am the oldest of four. It's hectic (and it's the reason I hardly get on my mom's laptop). I figured that Ed should act sorta like my older brother (er, brother, since we're the same age...). Thanks for reviewing:) Please don't send your characters after me! :P**_

_**XxLollipopsxX: The suspense is killing you? Oh no! Don't die! :O Yeah, the Nina story is really sad, and I tried to portray that emotion the best I could... Did I do good? :/ Oh, thank you for reviewing!**_

_**iGothic: BWAHAHA! CLIFFIE! Nah, I'm sorry, jokin, jokin. Cliffhangers are the worst! Please enjoy this update!**_

_**Disclaimer: So, let's just supposed I owned FMA. That would lead to utter chaos, and the end of humanity. So, since we're all still here, OBVIOUSLY I don't own it.**_

* * *

Chapter Eight: After the Rain

There was a crack of thunder and the rain began to pour down faster. Rachell stared wide eye at Ed, who was down on his hand and knees, eyes downcast.

"I'll give you a moment to pray." Scar told him.

Edward chuckled darkly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but there's no God I feel like praying to." he was quiet for a moment. "Am I the only one you're after? My younger brother, Rachell and Vannia… are you going to kill them too?"

Vannia tensed up from her place by Al, and Rachell looked up in terror at Scar.

"I eliminate anyone who gets in my way, but right now, you're my only target, Edward Elric." Scar told him.

"All right then, promise me… Promise me you won't touch them." Ed said.

Rachell gasped as Scar agreed. "What do you mean…? Edward, what are you doing? Run!" Al held her back, and she struggled with his grip. "Get up and run! Get out of here! No!" Scar's hand was an inch away from the blonde's head. "Please don't do it! Don't kill him!"

"Rachell!" Al yelled as the brunette got out.

"NO!" she screamed, when a gunshot made her freeze.

"That's enough."

Rachell looked over to Roy, who held up a pistol, looking at the group. "Mustang…"

"That was close, Rachell." he said.

"Colonel! He's-" Ed yelled.

Roy nodded. "That man is suspected of serial killings in Central. From what's going on, I'm guessing I'm right." Roy lowered his gun. "The murder of Shou Tucker was you, correct?"

Ed, Rachell, Vannia and Al looked over at Scar, stunned.

"Alchemist sin by taking what God's made and changing them. I am an instrument of divine judgement!"

"Makes sense." The Colonel agreed. "But then why do you only target State Alchemists? They aren't the only ones."

"It does not matter. It seems you're going to insist on stopping me, aren't you? If so, I'll just eliminate you too!"

Roy tossed his gun to Riza. "Oh. You will, eh?"

"Colonel Mustang!"

Roy pulled on his gloves. "Stay back."

"Mustang, the State Alchemist?"

The black haired Colonel held up his hand in the snap position. "The one and only. I'm the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang."

"Two birds with one stone! What a glorious day this is!" Scar cracked his knuckles.

Roy laughed darkly. "You know that I'm the Flame Alchemist, but you still want to fight me! You're a fool!"

They ran toward each other, but Riza drop kicked Mustang just as Scar's arm passed over his face. "Stubborn man!" she pointed her pistols and began firing at Scar, him weaving to avoid being hit.

"What was that for?" Roy yelled.

Riza reloaded her gun. "You're useless on rainy days. Please stand back, Colonel."

Roy's jaw dropped, and he sat dumbstruck.

Havoc held out this hand. "Oh yeah. He can't put out sparks in this moisture."

"Lucky for me! You can't make flames! I will destroy everyone here!" Scar yelled.

"Go ahead and try."

A gauntlet punched right above Scar as he dodged the hit, cursing.

"You dodged that, not half bad."

Rachell, Vannia and Edward slumped at the familiar voice.

"You brazen insurrectionary! I've had enough of you! You want to destroy everyone here?"

Havoc plugged his ears and Riza grimaced as Roy knealed over, still in denial.

"Don't make me laugh! Why don't you try to beat me first? I'm Alex Louis Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist!"

Havoc, to avoid the higher ranking solider, ran over to Vannia, Al and Rachell. "You guys okay? Whoa!" he almost fell over as Vannia tackled him into a hug, shaking. "Holy- Vannia, are you okay?"

"Yea-Yeah…" she studdered and sat back, blushing. "Sorry, sort of a secondary reaction."

"No. Worry about it and it's just gonna waste your energy." Rachell could see a slight pink tint to his cheeks. "It doesn't bother me." he noticed she was still shaking. "You cold?"

"Mhm." she nodded.

Havoc slipped out of his military jacket, revealing his tight black shirt (which revealed a well toned abdomen), and put it over Vannia's shoulder. "There. It's not much, but it's better than nothing, right?"

Vannia held onto it, holding it close. "Yeah." she smiled.

There was a gunshot, and they looked toward Riza, who held Havoc's rifle. Scar fell back.

"Did you get him?" Roy yelled.

Riza grimaced. "He's fast. It grazed him, that's all."

His sunglasses fell to the cobblestone, broken, and he glared up with red eyes.

"He's Ishbalan!" Roy yelled.

Everyone was stunned and quiet again. "Maybe there are too many of you…"

"Don't try to run for it! You're surrounded!" Roy commanded.

Right hand lifted, Scar slammed it down, making a large hole fall into the sewers below. Bricks continued to fall into the water, and Roy cursed.

"T-That maniac went into the sewers!"

"Don't go after him, Havoc!" Roy commanded.

Havoc, who was still sitting by Vannia, snorted. "You think I'd follow him down there?" he asked.

"Sorry you gave us enough time to surround him and…"

Armstrong shook his head. "No. It was all I could do to keep you from being killed, much less give you more time."

Roy turned to Rachell, who shook against the wall. "You okay, kid?"

Rachell chuckled. "Not sure. I've faced death, so I've lived, right?" she shook her head. "I'm just really cold."

The Colonel held his black trench coat to the brunette. "Here." he offered.

She took it with a smile, pulling on the warm jacket. "Thanks."

"He's a softy." Havoc chuckled, then shut his mouth when Roy glared.

"Hey! It is over?" Hughes asked, peeking from behind a building.

"And where have you been?" Havoc asked.

Hughes smiled. "Hiding! If things went bad, someone had to live to tell the tale!"

"You know." Roy growled. "next time, could considering helping us cross your mind?"

"Forget it! Don't drag in normal people with you freaks!"

"Freaks…?"

Hughes yelled for some soldiers to begin investigating, when a yell pierced the air.

"YOU IDIOT!"

The all looked over to see Ed holding his cheek, and a very pissed Rachell glaring at him.

"Why didn't you run when I told you?"

"Because I didn't want to just leave you here…" Ed whimpered.

"THAT'S WHAT I MEANT BY STUPID!" she punched him again.

"Why! If I ran off, you might have been killed!"

"I might not have been killed too!"

"Idiots choose death over a way to live!"

"Aw shut it! You'd do the same!"

"Me? As if! I'm smart!"

Rachell dropped to the ground, shaking from all the yelling. Edward sat down next to her. "We're a mess. How uncool."

"But we're alive…"

"Yeah… We're alive."

Hughes blinked as Havoc escorted Vannia out, Al, Ed and Rachell following suit.

"That brunette. She's the one that crossed over the gate?" he asked Roy.

"Yeah. But we have no idea how or why. Nor why she's got amazing alchemy skills." Roy looked of what was left of the stone wall, and the most incredible detail. "That kid's amazing."

"Things might start to get worse, huh?"

Roy sighed. "For me, yes. At least, they'll get some rest."

* * *

**_Whoa! That was some chapter! I have a hand cramp from typing that all up. I really need to stop writing everything on paper... *sigh*_**

**_Well, I'll try to update again really soon! Since this is my mom's laptop, I'm not techincally allowed on it alot. But! You can look forward to a new chapter every Sunday, for sure!_**

**_Thank you for reading! And thank you those who are reviewing! It means a lot to me! :')_**


	9. Road of Hope

_**Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of putting this in front of EVERY STORY. I wish people could understand I don't own Roy Mustang and Edward Elric, though I wish I did :/**_

_**I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!**_

_**So I'm sorry for the long wait for this chapter; I'm just so damn lazy, I never got around to typing it up. Typing something like this usually makes my hand crap up super bad.**_

_**Screw that now, though, because I am determined to start updating every Sunday, if I can! Maybe Fridays... I dunno.**_

_**Review time:**_

_**Adriannrod Svit-Kona Sama: I have no comment for this one. I just want you to know you wrecked my good mood that day.**_

_**XxLollipopsxX: I'm glad Fruit Roll-Ups save you! Poptarts usually save me:) And thank you for thinking I did good with the Nina part:) Thank you for sticking up for my story like that :') I cried a little reading that. It's wonderful to know you think it's sooo good. Thank you for reviewing so much.**_

_**iGothic: We (meaning my friend Vannia and I) are bigs fans of Fullmetal Alchemist. Why we remember all that is because we passed of the Gate. We both have incredibly bad memory, so there would be no way we could remember all that so easily. As for the EdxOC comment... Well, I'm leaving that a mystery. It's a surprise (a very predictable surprise) of who I'm going to end up with, and who Vannia's gonna end up with. And it's okay to be insane! I am too!:D**_

_**THANK YOU ALL FOR REVIEWS!:) I love them all sooo much, and I'm so happy you keep reading and reviewing! Kisses for everyone! '3' Please enjoy this next chapter, my loves! **_

* * *

Chapter Nine: The Road of Hope

"So what are you going to do now?"

Maes Hughes looked down at the one armed Edward and starstruck Rachell.

"Well, I need to get my arm fixed. I can't do my alchemy without it." Edward complained, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rachell crossed her arms. "If you can't do alchemy, you're just-"

"A brat that swears a lot." Havoc said.

"An arrogant pipsqueak." Hughes nodded.

"Useless! Just useless!" Roy complained.

"Sorry brother. I don't know how to follow that…" Alphonse apologized.

Ed held his head, then sighed. "Fine, I've got no choice. I have to go see my mechanic." he looked back to Rachell and Vannia. "C'mon."

"Hold on." Roy shook his head. "We need to assign you a guard."

"Huh? What?" Ed asked. "Why. Three completely skilled alchemists…"

Mustang massaged his temples. "No. With Scar on the loose, you with on arm, and him targeting both you and Rachell, you can't exactly make a get away. Sure, Al and Rachell can both do alchemy, but Al has to draw a circle, and Rachell has no clue exactly how to do skilled alchemy." Roy shook his head. "And I don't feel like doing the paperwork if you die."

Edward snorted. "So who's my guard?"

There was a sharp sniffle, and everyone looked over to Armstrong. "Uh…" Rachell studdered.

"Oh! Edward Elric! I've heard so much about you!" he exclaimed. "The pure love that led you to try to resurrect your dead mother! The brotherly love that made you risk your own life to bring back your younger brother's soul! I am so moved!"

"Stay back." Ed held him back with his foot. "So, who told him all about me, Colonel?"

Roy chuckled. "When the Major's leaning on you, it's head not to tell him what he wants."

Armstrong smiled. "I know the details of your past, that's why I've decided to escort you on your trip!"

"What?" Ed and Rachell asked, jaw dropping.

Vannia shook her head. "We don't need a guard…"

"So you're planning to travel around with Edward in that state when Scar could attack you at any moment?" Riza asked her. "Of course we're going to assign you four a guard! Otherwise, you'll be defenseless."

Havoc put a hand to the short, black-haired girl's shoulder. "Plus, you won't be exactly able to carry Rachell and Ed out if anything were to happen."

"But does it have to be the Major?" Rachell yelled, pointing to the muscular blonde.

"I've got a ton of work waiting for me back in Central." Hughes.

"I can't leave Headquarters." Roy.

"I'm too busy babysitting the Colonel." Riza.

"I don't think I can protect you from Scar…" Havoc.

"OUR THOUGHTS EXACTLY!" Fuery, Falman and Breda.

Armstrong grabbed Rachell and Ed. "So it's decided!"

"NOTHING'S DECIDED!" they yelled.

"Now you two, listen to your elders!" the Major exclaimed.

The blonde fumed. "Don't treat me like a kid!" she turned to Roy. "Are-"

"If you still plan on making a fuss," he chuckled darkly. "would you prefer to be court-martialed for disobeying orders, Fullmetal?"

"You dirty…!" the blonde spat.

Armstrong smiled. "So it's decided finally!" he laughed. "Let's pack up!"

The brunette and blonde scowled, then stomped off.

The train whistled, and Rachell sighed, when there was a knock at the window.

"Hughes!" she smiled. "Whatcha need?"

The black haired man waved. "Just a message from Roy."

Edward popped in. "The Colonel?" he looked surprised.

"'_I won't allow you to die in my jurisdiction because it'd be a pain to clean up the mess.'_ That's what he said." Hughes reported.

"Fine!" Ed fumed. "Tell him, _'Understood. I'd never die before you, Colonel, you idiot!'_"

The Lieutenant Colonel broke into laughter. "They say that the ruder you are the luckier you are! In case, you and Roy are gonna live forever!"

The whistle went off, and the group sighed.

"All right then." Hughes saluted. "Have a safe trip. Let me know if you four are ever out in Central."

"Will do!" Rachell and Vannia chimed, saluating back.

They rolled forward and the brunette sighed, with a smile on her face.

"So this person you know is an automail mechanic?" Armstrong asked, looking to Ed.

"Yeah. They do good work." he smiled.

"And what kind of place is this Resembool?"

"Just a quaint little town." Alphonse told him. "There's nothing for miles."

Rachell smiled, then looked out the window to the setting sun. "It's so pretty."

Ed looked over, noticing she was looking at the sky, then back to her smiling face. "Yeah, it is."

She put her head against the glass of the window, closing her eyes, falling asleep peacefully.

Rachell was awakened a few hours later, then train in a station in a hilled countryside. Edward was yawning across from her, lazily trying to sleep. Vannia and Alphonse were playing a card game, and Armstrong was reading a book, quickly reverting his gaze to a person out the window. He lunged to the window, startling Ed, and leaned out.

"Dr. Marcoh! Aren't you Dr. Marcoh?"

The person turned, then froze.

"It's Alex Louis Armstrong from Central!"

He took off running, barely holding on the suitcase he held onto. Rachell was confused, and then turned to the Major.

"Someone you know?" she asked, noting Vannia and Al had turned to them in curiosity.

Armstrong nodded. "Yes. He's a skilled alchemist who was involved in the Alchemy Research Department of Central." he told them, Ed looking over in interest. "He was studying the use of alchemy for medical purposes, but vanished during the Civil War."

"Let's get off." Rachell stood, grabbing her suitcase and putting on one of Ed's spare red jackets.

The Major was confused. "Don't we get off at Resembool?"

"He might know something about biological transmutation." Ed reported. "C'mon!"

They grabbed their bags in a mad rush, and exited the train. Rachell and Ed darted forward, skidding to a stop when they found a cross roads, and a person walking by.

"Uh, excuse me. We're looking for someone who just passed by." Rachell said, tapping on the man's shoulder.

Armstrong sketched something down in a book, then turned to show the man. "Have you seen an elderly man who looks like this?"

"Oh! That's Doctor Mauro! We know him!"

Rachell and Vannia exchanged glances. "'_Mauro_'?"

"As you can see, this isn't the richest town in the world." the man explained. "Most people here can't afford doctors, but Dr. Mauro treats people for free."

"He's a good man!"

"When he treats you, it's like there's a flash of light and then you're healed!"

Ed blinked. "A flash of light?"

"It's gotta be alchemy." Rachell nodded. "So he's been using an alias and hiding out in the country side."

"But why?" Vannia asked. "What's he hiding from?"

Armstrong cleared his throat. "Apparently when the doctor disappeared, some of the top-secret research material disappeared too." he explained. "It was rumored that he stole it and ran."

Alphonse crossed his arms as they walked. "Maybe he thought we were sent to bring him back."

"Probably." Rachell climbed the steps of a small house, then knocked. "Hello there! Anybody…" she trailed off, opening the door to reveal a gun pointed at her. "WAH!" she screamed, jumping away to avoid the bullet.

"What did you come for?" the shaky man asked, not lowering the gun.

"Please calm down, doctor." Vannia told him, hands raised in defense as Rachell hid behind her.

"Did you come to take me back? I'll never go back! I beg you! Let me go!" the doctor pleaded.

Vannia shook her head. "No that's-"

"So you came to kill me and shut me up for good!"

"First if you could please lower your gun-"

"You can't fool me!"

Vannia kicked the gun out of the doctor's hand, looking extremely pissed. "I said, please calm down!"

"I couldn't stand it anymore. Having to obey their orders, dirtying my hand to research the things I did. And then to see it used in the Civil War to slaughter hundreds of thousans of people… It was an awful war, so many innocent people died."

Tim Marcoh shook his head. "I couldn't make up for my actions if I paid for them for the rest of my life. But still I try. That's why I'm a doctor here."

"What were you researching before you left?" Rachell asked, trying to be respective of the situation. "What did you take with you?"

Marcoh was quiet a moment, then spoke in a low voice. "I was making the Philosopher's Stone. I took the stone and the research data."

"You have the stone?" Edward exclaimed.

"Yeah, here it is." the doctor walked over to a shelf lined with jars and grabbed a small bottle closed with a cork.

Rachell stared. "'_Stone_'? It looks like a liquid."

Marcoh popped the lid and poured the reddish liquid onto the table, where it took the form of a stone. Rachell and Ed poked at it.

"The Sage's Stone, the Stone of Heaven, the Great Elixir, the Red Tincture, the Fifth Element. There's so many names, it might not be a stone at all. But this is just an imperfect compound and it's impossible to know when it'll cease to work."

Edward smiled. "This mean it's possible to make one! Can you show me your data!"

"Who is this child? Why would you want such a thing?"

Armstrong bowed his head. "He's a State Alchemist. And the girl is skilled enough to be one."

"This young…" Marcoh rubbed his temples. "Lured by promises of privilege and research money. How foolish."

Rachell shook her head. "It's foolish, yes. But we have to!" she looked at the table. "I want to get back home, even if it means I need to sleep on a bed of nails. And Ed needs to acheieve his goal as well."

The blonde gripped his arm. "I need my arm back, and Al need's his body!"

Marcoh was stunned. "So you've commited the ultimate sin… With the talent to transmute a soul, you might be able to create a Philosopher's Stone." he shook his head. "But… You're not allowed to see my data."

The two were stunned. "Why not?"

"Getting home… Getting back your body… The stone shouldn't be used for something so trite."

"Trite?" Rachell yelled.

The doctor stood and turned. "No one will ever see my research. It's the work of the devil. It can only lead you straight to hell."

"I've already see hell!" Ed yelled, making Marcoh turn.

"No…" he turned back. "Please go."

The group stood, leaving quietly and Vannia looked back to see Marcoh in the window.

"Come on, Vannia!" Rachell yelled.

"Ah-" she exclaimed, turning to run to her brunette friend. "Coming!"

"Arg!" Edward complained.

Vannia shook her head. "Not happy with how it turned out?"

"What?"

"You could have taken it by force, you know." Rachell said, pouting.

Ed sighed. "I wanted it bad enough, but I thought of all the people we met, I knew it wouldn't feel right to take it." he looked to Al. "We'll just think of a different way."

"Yeah."

Vannia turned to Armstrong. "Don't you have to report Dr. Marcoh to Central?"

"The person I met was an ordinary town doctor named Mauro." he explained.

The three teens smiled. "Well, we're back were we started." Vannia reported.

"This road sure is long…" Rachell complained.

They put down their bags as they stopped at the station.

"Hey, you!"

Rachell and Ed turned, Dr. Marcoh running to meet them.

"This is the place I hid my data. I wrote down the location." he handed it to Ed. "You might be able to reach the truth that lies within the truth." he looked down, then turned. "I'll pray for the day you four succede your goal."

Rachell and Ed bowed quickly and Armstrong saluted as the doctor walked off. The train pulled up and they boarded quickly, taking their seats in a mostly empty car. Rachell took the paper from Ed and opened it. "_'National Central Library, First Branch. Tim Marcoh'_."

"If you want to hide a tree, place it in a forest." Vannia said. "There's gotta be millions of books there."

"And that's were we'll find the stone!" Ed whooped.

"Good job, big brother! We're on the way!"

"Yeah!"

"Too bad for the Fullmetal boy and his side-kick girlfriend, I'll have to get there and destroy it first."

* * *

**_Wellza... That's insane, huh? Won't be the first time I steal one of Ed's jackets ^^ I love that color, and just the thought of wearing Ed's jacket makes me blush uncontrollably, so I had to put it in there... Heehee. I'm such a fangirl._**

**_By the way, I just recently read Volume 25. OMG. I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! Anyone who's read it, will know what I'm talking about. Hahaha. Oh my god._**

**_Anyway..._**

**_If you review, my homies, I'll get Envy to make you chocolate chip oatmeal cookies shaped like bunnies while he wears a pink and white maid's outfit with his hair curled like Shirley Temples. He'll also be singing Baby by Justin Bieber and wearing pink heels. Enjoy the mental image, and when you review, I'll make sure you get a share of the hilariouty:)_**


	10. A Home With A Family Waiting

**_Okay, I'm updating a lot today because I'm out of school again. Yay for my school district! _**

**_I happen to hate and love this chapter at the same time. Hate, because there's a lot that doesn't just smooth together, but love because I get to tell off Winry ^^_**

**_Well, now its..._**

**_Review Time!:_**

**_CallieBear: Thank you:) I didn't know I was so awesome ^^ I don't plan on stopping production on this story anytime soon, because I want to make sure I finish it! :D Also, I'm glad you enjoyed that nice mental image of Envy ;3 It made me smile when I was writing that._**

**_XxLollipopsxX: You sound hyper. Did you have too many Fruit Roll-ups? O_o Awww ^^ Im glad you love the story soo much :) And you saw the new episode of Family Guy? :O I missed it!_**

**_I love you all so much for reviewing! And I'm sorry that there's no cookies... Envy refused to sing Justin Bieber's song, so I had to go all Riza on him, and he freaked out and broke every single egg on the counter. But, I promise you, ENVY WILL MAKE THOSE DAMN COOKIES!_**

**_Enjoy this chapter, loves! '3' - Kissy face ^-^_**

* * *

Chapter Ten: A Home With A Family Waiting

"Ah, Resembool…"

Edward smiled, stretching and throwing his suitcase over his shoulder. "It's been a while…"

"Yeah, it has." Alphonse trailed off a bit, handing Vannia her jacket- now returned to new- and Rachell one of Ed's extra coats. "What, four years?"

The blonde inhaled. "Yeah." he looked to a house on a hill as a dog ran up and an aging woman exited the small house. "Hey! Granny! Pinako! I'm gonna need your help again!"

Pinako walked forward to meet the group, eyeing Armstrong, Rachell and Vannia. "Who are these people?"

Ed yawned. "Major Armstrong. The brunette's Rachell and Vannia's the short one." he told her, as she shook each of their hands.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Rockbell." Vannia greeted, smiling.

Pinako shook her head. "Please, just call me Granny Pinako. If you're friends of Ed, you're part of the family." she told her. "So, Ed, did you get shorter?"

Ed yelled. "Who're calling 'small' you half-pint hag!"

"What did you call me, you little runt?"

"You heard me, guppy geezer!"

"Chibi-cump!"

"Micro-mini-Granny!"

"You-"

"Hey! ED!"

Ed froze, then a wrentch rained down and hit him directly on top of his head. He fell over and Al rushed to his side. Vannia looked to Rachell. She sighed loudly.

"It's HER."

"How many times do I have to tell you to call before you come in for maintenance!"

Ed shot up, growling as he held the spot where a large knot was forming. "Winry! You jerk! You coulda killed me!"

Winry Rockbell grinned from the balcony, blonde hair falling over her shoulders. She laughed. "Welcome back!"

* * *

"WHAT!"

Winry yelled, and Rachell plugged her ears to keep her hearing. "God, listen, okay? He broke it!"

The blonde turned and glared at her. "And who are you?"

"Rachell." she snapped. "Pleasure to meet you."

Winry growled at the sarcasism. "Your attitude's just lovely."

"Hmm, and so is your annoying little voice."

"Shouldn't talk. Have you see your outfit?"

"Oh, hypocrite. You're running around in a tube top!"

They both stood, and Vannia intervened. "You two, cut it out! Geez!"

Winry stood back, then turned to Ed. "So, let me see the damage I'm working with."

"Oh. It was smashed to bits."

She nearly passed out. Alphonse helped her stay steady. "I'm sorry Winry, we have to get to Central as soon as possible. We're looking for more data for the Philosopher's Stone."

Pinako walked in, then walked over to Ed. "Look like we need to adjust your leg, but the arm will need to be built from scratch."

"So you have gotten taller." Winry snickered.

"Your old leg can still be used, but it'll take a while to build a new arm." Pinako informed.

Ed sighed. "So, about a week?"

She laughed. "Don't underestimate me. I'll have it for you in three days." the elder Rockbell reached for a spare leg. "In the meantime, you'll have to wear this."

The blonde teen stoof, then wobbled a bit. "Whoa. It's hard to walk on a lef I'm not used to."

"After I've crafted all the part, I have to assemble everything. Then there's all the connections to check and adjustments to make…" Winry was listing, making Rachell glare at her. "It'll be an all-nighter for sure."

Ed looked over. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be! For a rush job like this, you'll have to pay extra!" the blonde yelled, slapping Ed across the back and sending him into a pile of boxes. "Oops. Forgot you're not used to that leg…"

* * *

"Jeez, she's violent!"

Rachell laid back on the grass, huffing loudly as Vannia and Edward sat next to her.

"Like you're on to talk." Ed glared at her, then sighed. "Three days, huh?" he asked, laying back as well, staring up at the sky. "It's boring around here. Nothing to do."

Vannia smiled at him. "Things have been so rough lately, maybe taking it easy isn't such a bad idea, right?" she asked.

"I'm not the kind of person who takes it easy!"

She laughed as he fidgeted, then turned when Alphonse came out. "Hey, Al, Ed's bored."

"Me too!" Rachell yelled at her.

Al laughed. "Why don't you go visit mom's grave. I'll stay here with Vannia."

She jumped. "Me? Oh, but…"

"C'mon!" e yelled up, then turned back. "Let's go!"

Rachell blushed, then followed after Ed, yelling, "We'll be back!" to Vannia. She ran up to Ed. "So why am I tagging along?"

"You were just as bored as me, so I had to share the pain." he told her. "Vannia can be kept company by Al, but you seem too spunky to stay with him for too long."

Rachell smiled. "I guess your right." she laughed. "You and I are more alike than we think, y'know."

"Really, now? How?"

The brunette looked to the sky, clasping her hands behind her back. "We both hate milk and needles. We're both hot-tempered and violent."

The blonde blinked. "Whoa. I didn't realize that." he exclaimed, then looked up to the hill. "Mom…"

Rachell looked over. "You okay?"

He smiled, unsurely. "Yeah… Just thinking back, that's all." his grin faded. "Have you ever lost a family member, Rachell?"

She looked down. "My great-grandmother. I didn't know her very well, thought." she admitted.

Ed glanced to her. "Sorry." he apologized. "I guess loosing a parent to divorce is bad, too."

"Not as bad as your mom dying!" she told him. "I can't begin to top your life, Ed!"

"Is mine really all that bad?" he asked. "I think that it's not all that bad because I still have Al. If he was gone, I'd have no reason to live."

She smiled. "You really love your brother, and your mom…"

"They were all I had." he admitted. Ed looked down to the grave.

Rachell was quiet. "Tell me, how was your mom like?"

"She was kind, patient and caring. Everything a mom should be…" Ed admitted again. Den, who had follwed them, whimpered. He smiled. "C'mon. Let's go."

* * *

"Major, do they live peaceful lives?"

Vannia looked up at Armstrong as he chopped wood, a curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "I've only been with them for a month or so…"

Armstrong looked down at her. "As you know, they're pretty famous in Central. That fame does get them in trouble."

"I witnessed that." she sighed.

"But I wouldn't worry about them, they're strong." he told her.

"Strong, huh?"

They turned to see Pinako walk up, holding a box of useless scrap metal. "I've seen that strength. It was four years ago, when Edward sacrificed his own arm to transmute his brother's soul… When he decided to become a dog of the military at such a young age… And when he endured the automail surgery that would make an adult howl in pain…"

Vannia was speechless, but Armstrong lowered his head.

"Don't look so glum. I need to get dinner ready, and you all need places to stay, no?" she smiled.

The teen shook her head. "Oh no! Don't let us burden you!"

"It's not a burden, after all, it's not like you can stay at the Elric's house."

"Huh? Why?" Armstrong asked.

Pinako sighed, but Vannia interrupted. "On the day Ed got his government license, and was about to set out on his journey, he burned down his house." she said in a monotone voice. "They destroyed their own home so that they could never go back."

* * *

Pinako held up Ed's new leg, while Winry Ed's arm. "You ready?"

Edward sighed, then nodded as they attached them to the docks. "Oh yay…" he mumbled.

Winry slapped him on the head then nodded to her grandmother. "Ready? Here we go…"

"One…" Pinako counted.

"Two…"

"Three!"

"OW!" Ed yelled, as they twisted in nerves. "I just love that part…" he complained. "But whatever! Soon, I can kiss this pain goodbye!"

Pinako tsked. "Be a shame. You're our cash cow!"

Winry nodded. "That's right! Why be in such a hurry to get back to normal? Automail is cool!"

"Engineering otaku." Ed snapped.

"Alchemy otaku!"

Pinako patted Ed's shoulder. "All done!" she told him. And he stood and stretched. "How is it?"

Ed rotated his shoulder a bit. "Feels good." he smiled toward Alphonse and Rachell. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

They started to walk outside. "No problem!" Rachell said. "You're looking good!"

He smirked, blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze, then looked to Al. "Shall we?"

Alphonse flipped Ed and Rachell jumped back. The blonde catch himself on the ground, then attempted to drop kick Al, when he was grabbed by the leg.

"Dammit!"

Ed landed back, looking up, and Rachell offered a hand. He took it, and she flipped him over, smiling all the while. "Ha!"

"What's this? A brother's quarrel?" Armstrong asked.

Ed blocked a punch from Rachell, then ducked from Al. "No, no. We're just sparring." he told him, charging toward the brunette, but she dodged it, and tripped him during.

"Then let me help you!"

Armstrong ran for Al, grabbing him and flipping as Ed and Rachell charged to his back. They clutched his arms as Al regained his balance and tackled him to the ground. The muscular Major fell back, and the teens stood, sharing a smile. "We beat him!"

"Ed, Al, Rachell! Dinner!" Vannia yelled from the balcony. "C'mon!"

They looked up, then to each other. "Race!" they yelled, taking off and leaving Armstrong and Al behind.

* * *

Edward tugged his gloves on, then turned to Pinako. "Thanks for everything, Granny."

She nodded. "You bet. Be sure to come back to visit, you four. Even if it's just for a good meal." she told them.

Ed snorted. "Like we'd come to the boondocks for a meal." he laughed, then Rachell hit him.

"We should go. Out train arrives soon." Vannia said, turning. They followed suit when a yell distracted them.

"Ed! Al! Guys!"

They turned back around to see Winry lazily waving at them from the balcony. Ed turned, then waved back as Al called a bye.

Rachell snorted. "Ugh."

Vannia pushed her lightly. "Stop it."

The brunette growled. "No! She gets on my nerves, and we barely avoided that fight a few days ago!"

Ed looked back. "I don't get do you hate Winry so much?"

"Ah!" Rachell blushed. "N-No reason!"

Edward blinked. "Okay? Well it's off to Central!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

**_Hahaha. Theres no reason I should tell Ed about my little yaoi addiction, that I think him and Roy belong together (because I don't mind if my husband has a little homosxual relationship on the side!). Heehee._**

**_Well, my loves, that was chapter ten; the first chapter with Winry in it! :D_**

**_If you review, I'll make sure Envy makes those cookies how I promised he would! And I'll get Roy to help too! :D_**


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